The University of Mary Washington and Mary Washington Healthcare are joining forces to create what could become the Fredericksburg region’s first medical school — a plan leaders say would directly confront the area’s growing shortage of physicians and healthcare workers.
University President Dr. Troy Paino and Dr. Christopher Newman, Chief Executive Officer of Mary Washington Healthcare, presented their proposal to the Fredericksburg City Council on Tuesday, describing an ambitious vision for a community-based medical school that would train doctors to stay and practice in Virginia.
“When you look at Mary Washington Healthcare’s market — Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George, Westmoreland, and parts of Prince William and Orange counties — we rank only in the second percentile nationally in physicians per capita,” Newman said. “Per 100,000 residents, we have roughly 40 physicians. The average community has about 80 — and even that’s considered short-staffed.”
Newman said the shortage makes it difficult for families to find primary care doctors or specialists, especially when physicians retire or new residents move to the region. “Access to care here is a real challenge,” he told council members.
Building a pipeline of doctors
To address the gap, Mary Washington Healthcare has already launched residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, and anesthesia, with more specialties planned. The programs are expected to train more than 200 physicians in the Fredericksburg area once fully built out.
But Newman said residencies alone aren’t enough. With Virginia’s medical schools turning away thousands of qualified applicants each year, he said the region needs its own full pipeline — from medical education to residency to community practice.
That led to conversations with UMW about creating a new medical school headquartered in Fredericksburg, leveraging the university’s liberal arts foundation and existing pre-med programs.
“There is no medical school in Northern Virginia, which is hard to believe given the population,” Newman said. “A partnership between an excellent liberal arts institution and a leading healthcare system is the perfect win-win.”
UMW’s role as an “anchor institution”
President Paino said he was initially skeptical when approached with the idea, but after reviewing the feasibility study and reflecting on the university’s mission, he became convinced it fit within UMW’s role as a regional leader.
“We’re the only four-year degree-granting institution in this fast-growing region, public or private,” Paino said. “That brings a responsibility to meet the workforce, health, and economic needs of this community.”
Paino described the vision as a public-private partnership between UMW and Mary Washington Healthcare to create a “medical school for Virginians to serve Virginians.”
“We want to attract students who want to stay and serve this region,” he said. “The more a student’s roots are in the community, the more likely they are to remain here as practicing physicians.”
Early support from city leaders
Council members expressed excitement and said they would back the effort with a resolution and inclusion on the city’s legislative agenda ahead of the 2026 General Assembly session.
Councilwoman Kerry Devine called the partnership “exciting and transformative,” while Councilwoman Jannan W. Holmes, At-Large, urged attention to pediatrics and mental health services as part of the training plan.
Newman said psychiatry and behavioral health are already key components of MWHC’s five-year strategic plan. UMW, meanwhile, plans to launch a Master’s in Nursing program in 2026 and a Master’s in Counseling in 2027, followed by other healthcare-related degrees such as social work.
Location and next steps
The medical school would be located within the City of Fredericksburg, taking advantage of UMW and MWHC’s neighboring campuses. A new $40 million education facility is already under construction to support medical education, and both institutions plan to assess additional space needs through a forthcoming analysis.
The partnership’s goal is to present a united front to state lawmakers this winter. Paino said the effort remains “in the bottom of the first inning,” but enthusiasm is high.
“The more we talked about it, the more we realized this could transform not only healthcare access but also economic development in Fredericksburg,” Paino said. “It’s hard to attract employers to a region without strong healthcare. This medical school would change that.”
