University of Maryland School of Medicine to Expand MD Program Class Size to Address Growing Physician Shortage

The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) announced today that it has received approval from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) to expand its MD program class size over the next five years. This strategic initiative aims to help address the projected nationwide shortage of both primary care and specialty physicians.

Reports by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis and the AAMC include modeling that project a need for as many as 200,000 primary care and 200,000 specialty care physicians in the next 20 years. Beginning with the entering class of 175 students in Academic Year 2026–2027, the School will gradually increase enrollment to 200 students by Academic Year 2031–2032. The expansion comes at a critical time, as recent national reports forecast alarming physician shortages driven by population growth, increased demand for healthcare services, and the impending retirement of a significant portion of the physician workforce. The entering medical school class of 2025-2026 has 173 students.

“We are seeing projections of physician shortages that are deeply concerning for the future of medical care in the U.S.,” said UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, who is also the Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor at UMSOM. “According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the U.S. could face a shortage of up to 84,000 physicians by 2036, with more than one-third of currently active physicians expected to retire within the next decade.”

He added: “Our goal is to do everything we can to address this critical demand and ensure that patients have access to high-quality care.” 

The LCME approval confirms that UMSOM has the resources and infrastructure necessary to support this expansion, including faculty, facilities, and clinical training opportunities.

This initiative builds on UMSOM’s recent efforts to strengthen Maryland’s healthcare workforce including:

• Rural Health Initiative: A major program to increase the number of physicians practicing in underserved rural areas of Maryland.
• New BS/MD Program with University of Maryland, College Park:  Designed to attract students interested in technology-driven medical careers, addressing emerging needs in healthcare innovation.

In addition, the School is working on increasing the availability of practicing physicians to serve as preceptors for student clerkship rotations, and creating new electives for students.

“Expanding our class size empowers us to launch and grow innovative programs that address critical healthcare needs,” said Donna Parker, MD, FACP, who is the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education and the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) for the Medical Education Program. “This flexibility ensures we can adapt to the evolving challenges of healthcare while strengthening our role as leaders in medical education."