Transition Will Enable CUNY Medical School To Expand Educational Offerings and Grow the Pipeline of Diverse Caregivers

Institution Trains 1 in 5 Black M.D. Students In New York City

Governor Kathy Hochul on Nov 19th, announced that the City University of New York is establishing the CUNY School of Medicine as an independent institution separate from the university. The transformation will enable the 50-year-old school to bolster its impact, simplify accreditation, and advance its dual mandate to produce diverse medical practitioners and provide quality health services to underserved communities across New York City where more than half of residents identify as Black or Latino, and just 16% of both communities are physicians.

“Every student deserves a shot at attaining a high-quality education without racking up mountains of debt — New York’s public colleges and universities are a critical part of this ladder of opportunity,” Governor Hochul said. “Making higher education more affordable is a top concern, which is why we’ve expanded access to tuition assistance and are making record investments in SUNY and CUNY schools. The newly-independent School of Medicine at CUNY is the next step in our mission of providing high-quality, affordable education for New Yorkers.”

The change will move CUNY Medicine, currently a constituent school of The City College of New York, under the auspices of the CUNY Graduate Center. This transition will elevate the school to a graduate-level institution, adding master’s, doctoral and post-graduate residency programs, and aligning it with medical schools across the country. Additionally, CUNY Medicine’s existing holistic admissions process, which requires no MCAT scores, will continue to widen the scope of opportunities available for prospective students.

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “For 50 years, CUNY School of Medicine has been boosting the ranks of doctors from underrepresented communities and addressing long-standing inequities in the medical field. Now it is time to expand its reach. Elevating the CUNY School of Medicine to a standalone institution will ensure that medical careers and health care services are available to more people from all backgrounds and every community in New York City.”

Half-Century Legacy
The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education was founded in 1973 at City College of New York to recruit underrepresented students into medicine and expand primary care in underserved communities. In 2016, the school transitioned into the CUNY School of Medicine, becoming the only public school of medicine in Manhattan and the first new one in the city since 1860.

Since then, CUNY Medicine’s seven-year Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degree program has established itself as a model of inclusive excellence, achieving a 100% residency match rate, compared to 93% nationally, in addition to its holistic admissions process that excludes MCAT scores. Likewise, its M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies program —- founded in 1973 at Harlem Hospital — ranks third in New York State, according to U.S. News & World Report.

It’s a record that has been reaffirmed over the years, most recently in the form of a $19.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This award, the largest ever received by the university from the NIH, will fund the school’s creation of a health equity center designed to address health disparities through scientific research and outreach in Harlem and the South Bronx. It is the federal agency’s first center in New York dedicated exclusively to this work, which will be focused on racial and ethnic health disparities and increasing the number of minorities participating in biomedical research.

The grant follows New York State’s historic $4 million investment in the CUNY School of Medicine as part of the 2024-2025 State Budget, the first dedicated budget item in the school’s history.

Dean of CUNY School of Medicine and Sophie David Biomedical Education Program Carmen Renée Green said, “The CUNY School of Medicine is honored to be recognized by New York State, City, the Chancellor and the National Institutes of Health, as we become a freestanding medical school. Operating as part of the Graduate School and University Center will enable us to effectively and fully implement our mission of advancing medical education, scientific discovery, and scholarship. The CUNY School of Medicine remains committed to eradicating educational, health, and healthcare disparities in the City and State of New York, and advancing education for those who are underserved and traditionally underrepresented in medicine. We are changing the skyline of academic medicine and setting a national example for public medical schools.”

Addressing Local Needs
While almost 80% of the nation’s medical students come from affluent families — a quarter are in the top 5% in household income — most CUNY Medicine’s students are first generation or immigrants, 86% qualify for need-based financial aid and 83% are bilingual or multilingual. Furthermore, nearly 70% of the institution’s entering students identify as Black or Latino — more than triple the percentage at medical schools nationally. Despite its size, the school trains one out of every five Black M.D. students in New York City.

Following graduation, 75% of CUNY Medicine students practice locally. These students are also more than twice as likely as physicians statewide to serve in access-challenged communities, bringing with them a unique cultural perspective.

The announcement comes as New York faces a shortage of medical professionals. Across New York City, 2 million people live in a health professional shortage area - this scarcity isn’t felt equally as disparities in access and outcomes cluster along racial, ethnic and income lines. According to Primary Care Development Corporation, while there are 22 primary care physicians per 10,000 people in Manhattan, in the Bronx there are just nine. As a result, NIH data shows that Black patients are 43% more likely to have no source of care other than emergency rooms as compared to their white counterparts.