Philadelphia's Thomas Jefferson University is expanding its medical school in the Lehigh Valley region.
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The university's Sidney Kimmel Medical College plans to build a new 54K SF academic facility in downtown Allentown, it announced Monday.
The school aims to open the campus in 2029 with an inaugural class of 45 students. It will offer the same curriculum as its Philadelphia campus, and students will complete clinical training at hospitals and outpatient facilities in the Lehigh Valley region.
The medical school also announced an expansion in Delaware last month, a partnership with Gov. Matt Meyer's administration to launch the state's first four-year medical school.
“With the expansion of Sidney Kimmel Medical College into the Lehigh Valley and Delaware, and the continued growth of our academic and clinical programs, this is a time of tremendous opportunity,” TJU President Susan C. Aldridge said in a release. “These initiatives reflect our commitment to address critical workforce needs while building sustainable academic pathways for future healthcare professionals.”
Several elected officials released statements framing the expansion as a way to improve access to medical care across the Lehigh Valley and spur related economic activity.
“This is a win for our region and will keep Allentown as a hub for life sciences innovation,” state Rep. Peter Schweyer said in the university's press release.
TJU also operates the largest health system in the Philadelphia region, Jefferson Health, which has 33 hospital campuses across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In 2024, it bought Lehigh Valley Health Network to expand its network in that region, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported.
Philadelphia's Temple University is also growing its medical footprint. It announced in April that it is opening a new branch of its Katz School of Medicine in Atlantic City, and in 2020, it expanded its Lehigh Valley campus in Bethlehem into a full four-year medical school.
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