Wake Forest is now on track to open Charlotte’s first four-year medical school this coming summer, bringing a significant milestone to the Queen City.
The Wake Forest University School of Medicine-Charlotte will establish a new campus in midtown, admitting 48 students for the Class of 2029. The campus will be located on a 20-acre site at South McDowell and Baxter streets, as part of the broader Pearl District development project.
The $1.5 billion Pearl District, built in partnership with Atrium Health and Wexford Science & Technology, will include retail, offices, hotels, and academic spaces. Construction is nearing completion on the 14-story campus building, along with a 10-story research facility housing the global surgical institute IRCAD’s North American headquarters. The medical school will increase class sizes gradually, aiming to train nearly 1,000 students across its Winston-Salem and Charlotte campuses within five years.
The introduction of the medical school aims to address the growing need for medical professionals in Charlotte, which had been one of the largest U.S. cities without a four-year medical school. With the start of the Class of 2029, Charlotte will witness its first medical students beginning their journey in the city, strengthening the region’s healthcare education infrastructure and contributing to the area’s medical innovation efforts.
