Medical School on Tribal Land Builds a Local Physician Pathway

Future physicians will soon be able to train within the community they may one day serve.

A Historic Investment in Indian Country

Gila River Health Care, the tribally operated healthcare system of the Gila River Indian Community, is partnering with the University of Arizona to establish the College of Medicine-Phoenix Regional Medical Branch in Sacaton. The partners say it will be the nation’s first MD-granting medical school branch located on the lands of a sovereign Tribal Nation. GRHC has committed more than $25 million through 2034 for faculty positions, student scholarships and educational infrastructure. Every student admitted to the Gila River Branch will receive a full-tuition scholarship funded by GRHC. The partnership demonstrates how a public research university, a sovereign Tribal Nation and a community healthcare system can work through shared leadership to strengthen Native health.

A Three-Year Path From Education to Service

Beginning in July 2027, the three-year Primary Care Accelerated Program will admit 10 students annually. Students will complete their first 18 months of foundational medical education in Phoenix before relocating to Sacaton for 18 months of clinical education. Unlike traditional clinical rotations, students will become part of the GRHC healthcare system. Under faculty supervision, they will care for patients across a broad range of clinical settings while learning how historical, cultural and social factors influence health. This community-based education makes cultural awareness and culturally competent care part of daily clinical training. In turn, more Native students may see medicine as an achievable career rooted in community and service.

Training Physicians Where They Are Needed

The need for Native practitioners remains urgent. The Indian Health Service reported a 38 percent physician vacancy rate in fiscal 2024, compared with a 30 percent vacancy rate across all healthcare providers. AAMC data show American Indian and Alaska Native people account for just 0.3 percent of active U.S. physicians. Arizona also ranks No. 42 nationally for primary care access. Research cited by the University of Arizona shows physicians are more likely to practice where they train. GRHC and the university are therefore exploring primary care residency programs that could connect medical school, residency and practice within one Tribal health system. Ultimately, this approach could help the IHS and tribally operated health systems replace repeated recruitment with lasting local workforce capacity.

Ellsworth Supports Local Healthcare Heroes

“This model brings medical education closer to the people and shortens the path from student to practicing clinician,” said Michael Woestehoff, CEO of Ellsworth, a Native-owned small business and ISBEE. “By removing the tuition burden, embedding training within a Tribal health system and creating the possibility of local residency, Gila River Health Care and the University of Arizona are helping communities grow their own healthcare heroes. We hope more Native students see that medicine offers a future rooted in culture, community and service. Ellsworth proudly supports this historic investment in Native health!”