The new campus will open with the Fall 2026 semester. Applications for the first cohort of medical students at the new campus opened in May 2025.
Lincoln Memorial University is opening a new DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine campus in Orange Park, Florida, in an attempt to help the Northeast Florida region combat its current health professional shortage. Thanks to the signing of Chapter 2025-114, Laws of Florida, by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June 2025, LMU-DCOM is now a Florida medical school by statute. LMU-DCOM Orange Park is the first four-year medical school located in the Jacksonville, Florida area.
According to an article on Lincoln Memorial University's website, President Dr. Jason McConnell was quoted as saying of the new campus, "The establishment of LMU-DCOM in Orange Park represents an exciting new chapter for Lincoln Memorial University. As our institution continues to expand, we remain dedicated to our mission of delivering high-caliber medical education while strengthening the communities we serve. By bringing a full-scale medical school to Northeast Florida, we are not only creating new opportunities for aspiring physicians but also helping to improve health care access and economic development in the region. This campus is a testament to our commitment to growth, service and excellence."
The new campus in Orange Park will offer an identical curriculum to its sister campuses at Lincoln Memorial University’s Harrogate and Knoxville, Tennessee campuses. Students who successfully complete the program will earn a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree and will be prepared to offer patient care in any number of healthcare settings.
Dr. James Toldi, who serves as the campus dean for LMU-DCOM at Orange Park, said of the new campus’ role in the community, "We are growing partnerships with local physicians and clinics to educate the next generation of physicians to live, train and then work in the community to ease the burden of the looming physician shortages in Florida, and particularly Clay, Putnam, St. Johns, Duval and Nassau Counties. We want to place students in the areas of greatest patient needs so they can learn to appreciate the care these populations need. We aim to be great partners in the community, driving economic and health prosperity for our neighbors.”
Data from the Florida Medical Association highlights the need for LMU-DCOM at Orange Park. The Association notes that 98 percent of the state’s doctors are practicing in urban areas of Florida, leaving only two percent of doctors available to work in the state’s 31 rural counties. Additionally, the Association projects that there will be a deficit of about 17,000 physicians by the year 2035.
Florida Representative Sam Garrison said, "Addressing the physician shortage in Florida requires innovative solutions and proactive partnerships. The introduction of LMU-DCOM's campus in Orange Park is a monumental development that will enhance our local health care infrastructure and ensure that our communities have access to the quality care they deserve. This is an important step toward strengthening our health care system, particularly in underserved areas."
Echoing these sentiments, State Senator Jennifer Bradley said, "The expansion of LMU-DCOM into Orange Park is a timely and much-needed response to the health care challenges facing our region. By training future physicians within our community, we are taking a critical step toward ensuring that Floridians, particularly in underserved areas, have access to essential medical services. A medical school of this caliber will not only provide education and training opportunities but also contribute to the overall well-being of Northeast Florida."
For more information about Lincoln Memorial University, visit the school’s website.