Dave Dreeszen
SIOUX FALLS -- The University of South Dakota will move the remainder of its medical school from Vermillion to Sioux Falls starting in the summer of 2027.
USD's Sanford School of Medicine, the only medical school in the state, is currently split between sites, with the first 18 months of the Doctor of Medicine program taking place on the main campus in Vermillion. The remaining 30 months occur at other locations, with the majority of students based in Sioux Falls.
In addition to the first 18 months of the M.D. program, USD also will transition its Division of Biomedical and Translational Sciences to Sioux Falls. The relocation will promote translational and applied research by expanding the collaborative research opportunities available to faculty and facilitating more interaction with patients, according to a news release.
University leaders announced the move at a news conference Thursday in Sioux Falls, alongside officials from the city, the South Dakota Board of Regents and representatives from the state's major health care systems.
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"As South Dakota's only medical school, we have both a responsibility and an opportunity to shape the future of medicine in the state," USD President Sheila K. Gestring told the audience. "USD has a legacy of supporting the state's health care systems, building a skilled workforce, and promoting the health and well-being of South Dakotans -- and by consolidating this portion of our medical education in Sioux Falls, we can make an even greater impact while also improving the experience for our faculty, staff and students."
Sanford Health has agreed to support the medical school by offering temporary space in Sioux Falls at a "manageable cost" for the initial years of transition, the college said in a press release. The Sanford School of Medicine will have locations for an anatomy lab, research labs, classroom space and medical student support services, in addition to the resources available on its existing campus in Sioux Falls.
A new, permanent building is estimated to be built in seven to 10 years at a location to be determined. The university plans to pursue traditional funding sources for this capital project, including public and private support, grant opportunities, and the reallocation of internal resources currently supporting the medical school in Vermillion and Sioux Falls.
Consolidating the first 18 months of medical education in Sioux Falls, students will enhance students' pre-clinical education by giving them more opportunities to work with and learn from clinical faculty, school officials said. It also will allow students to collaborate with biomedical sciences faculty to integrate concepts, which can lead to better retention and licensing exam performance, according to the news release.
School officials said the changes will better position USD's medical students to be highly competitive for residency programs.
The announcement comes after the school celebrated 50 years of offering the M.D. in 2024.
"With this change, we are better positioned to support our students, faculty and staff through pre-clinical instruction, collaborative research opportunities and high-quality educational experiences," said Tim Ridgway, M.D., dean of the Sanford School of Medicine and vice president of health affairs at USD. "And, importantly, this move will improve our ability to better recruit and retain future physicians, many of whom will stay in South Dakota."
Forty-five percent of USD's M.D. graduates return to South Dakota to practice medicine. Of those those who complete a residency in South Dakota, more than 75% stay in the state.
"The Sanford School of Medicine is a big part of keeping South Dakota healthy and Open for Opportunity," South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden said. "This announcement will attract young medical professionals to the strong and growing Sioux Falls community."
Dave Dreeszen is the managing editor for the Sioux City Journal. Contact him at [email protected] or 712-293-4211
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