With its first class scheduled to matriculate in August of 2026 and the two-building Health Science Education Complex expected to open in January 2026, the UNMC College of Medicine is deep in preparation to welcome the 15-20 students who will make up its first on-site students.
“There will be one class of medical students across two campuses,” said Robert Messbarger, MD, associate dean for the regional campus. “The curriculum will be identical, and the educational experience will be equivalent.”
Forty percent of the curriculum will be small-group format, and that will occur in-person in Kearney for the Kearney cohort.
Other significant facts:
- The lectures will come from both Omaha and Kearney. When lectures are delivered in Omaha, they will be virtual to Kearney. However, some lectures will be delivered in Kearney and virtual to Omaha.
- Plans for a leadership program for medical students in Kearney are ongoing.
- The on-site faculty at Kearney will include a full-time anatomist, Steven Heritage, PhD, of the UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy.
- The college’s administrative team consists of Dr. Messbarger, Andrew Priest, EdD, executive director, and Angie Kratochvil, MD, assistant dean for the regional campus.
The Kearney campus leadership team continues to work to build its team, including preceptors. If anyone has a desire to be involved with the new regional campus or become a preceptor, please reach out to Dr. Priest or Dr. Messbarger.