University of Maryland School of Medicine Secures LCME Approval to Grow MD Class Starting 2026

Overview

• The plan begins with an entering class of 175 students in Academic Year 2026–2027 and scales to 200 students by 2031–2032, up from 173 in 2025–2026.
• The Liaison Committee on Medical Education affirmed the school’s capacity to expand, citing sufficient faculty, facilities, and clinical training opportunities.
• UMSOM leaders cited AAMC modeling that the U.S. could be short up to 84,000 physicians by 2036 with a large wave of retirements expected in the next decade.
• Maryland-specific analysis from the Cicero Institute forecasts a shortfall of more than 1,000 doctors by 2030 with over 35% of physicians in retirement range and shortages affecting most counties.
• The expansion is coupled with workforce initiatives that include a Rural Health Initiative, a new BS/MD pipeline with the University of Maryland, College Park, and efforts to recruit more preceptors and add new electives.