Morgan State University has received a $1.75 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to begin planning a public, nonprofit medical school that would offer an M.D. degree. The two-year planning effort marks a renewed push to expand medical education at Maryland’s largest historically Black university, after earlier plans announced in 2020 stalled.

The Baltimore-based university aims to use the funding to develop a sustainable model for a medical school that will focus on training physicians to serve in underserved communities, particularly in Maryland. According to university officials, the proposed school will emphasize cultural competence, primary care training and addressing health inequities.

“This investment represents a pivotal moment for Morgan and for the communities we serve,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State. “With the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s support, we are charting a new course toward a public, nonprofit M.D. program that will train physicians where they are most needed, close gaps in care and reflect the diversity of the populations served.”
The school would be the first public program to grant an M.D. at an HBCU in Maryland. Currently, HBCUs make up a small share of U.S. medical schools but play an outsized role in training Black physicians. Morgan officials point to data showing that graduates from underrepresented groups in medicine are more likely to practice in underserved areas and remain there after completing their training.

The grant will fund the creation of a planning group to oversee development of the program’s curriculum, facilities and governance structure. Morgan also plans to collaborate with government and philanthropic partners during the process.

RWJF has prioritized investments in HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions as part of its broader strategy to promote health equity and diversify the physician workforce.

U.S. Healthcare Homepage