City of Medford, Oregon
Exploring a Regional Medical School to Bridge Rural Physician Gaps
The Challenge
Southern Oregon faces a persistent physician shortage, especially in rural and underserved communities. To explore whether medical education could help strengthen the region’s healthcare workforce, the City of Medford engaged Tripp Umbach to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a medical school in Medford. The study needed to assess healthcare needs, infrastructure, and community readiness to support a sustainable medical-education program.
How We Helped
Tripp Umbach conducted a detailed analysis of the region’s healthcare system, existing resources, and clinical-training capacity. The approach included stakeholder interviews, data analysis, and a review of workforce trends to determine whether Medford could support both a medical-school campus and a centralized GME residency hub.
Tripp Umbach’s findings showed that a regional M.D. campus paired with a centralized GME hub would significantly strengthen Southern Oregon’s healthcare ecosystem. Training medical students and residents locally improves the region’s ability to address physician shortages and expand access to care—particularly in rural areas. By embedding future physicians in the community during their education, Medford increases the likelihood that they will remain and practice in the region, supporting long-term workforce stability and collaborative, community-focused healthcare delivery.