Arizona State University John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering is a brand-new MD program in Phoenix that received LCME preliminary accreditation in October 2025 and will enroll its inaugural class in Fall 2026. Every student concurrently earns an MD and an MS in Medical Engineering, with the two curricula integrated across all four years. Its distinctive curriculum integrates medical education with engineering and technology innovation. Located within the broader ASU biomedical ecosystem in downtown Phoenix, the school emphasizes physician-engineer training, digital health, and addressing healthcare access challenges across Arizona’s diverse urban and rural population.
What makes it different
ASU Shufeldt is one of the only MD programs in the US explicitly integrating medical engineering into the core curriculum — not as an optional track but as a foundational competency. ASU’s extensive engineering, data science, and entrepreneurship ecosystem provides unique interdisciplinary training. The school is located in Phoenix, a rapidly growing metro with significant underserved and Spanish-speaking populations.
Course & teaching
Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD with engineering and technology integrated throughout. Years 1–2 blend foundational biomedical science with design thinking and engineering modules. Years 3–4 clinical rotations are concentrated across Phoenix-area hospitals and community health sites. Emphasis on digital health tools, AI-assisted diagnosis, and health systems design.
Research strengths
ASU Shufeldt School of Medicine (MD) has notable research strength in Medical engineering, Digital health and AI, Population health, Health equity, Biomedical devices.
Interview
ASU Shufeldt School of Medicine (MD) interviews via Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) conducted in person or via Zoom. ASU Shufeldt uses an MMI format with stations designed to assess collaborative problem-solving, ethical reasoning, communication, and innovation mindset. Stations rotate every 6–8 minutes and include written-prompt scenarios, role-play exercises, and open-ended motivation questions. The school’s engineering-integration emphasis means some stations may involve design-thinking or systems-level health challenges, reflecting the program’s unique physician-engineer identity.
Intake
Initial cohorts approximately 60–80 students; ramp-up planned.
At a glance
Founded in 2026, based in Phoenix, AZ. Programmes offered: Medical Engineering, Digital Health, Primary Care, Community & Population Health, Health Systems Innovation.