JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
A powerful punch for both healthcare and the economy in Mississippi. That's the expectation of a new school of medicine building at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
State and local leaders joined health care providers in breaking ground on the 63 million dollar development.
The goal of the project is two-fold.
First, officials want to address the severe doctor shortage in Mississippi. And secondly, they plan to meet the need in conjunction with economic development.
It begins by training a thousand new doctors by the year 2025.
"Of course that will save lives but we believe that by 2025, 1,000 new physicians will create some 19,292 new jobs. Nearly 20,000 jobs will be created by this new medical school," Governor Phil Bryant said.
Governor Bryant says the first phase of the development will be funded by a 10 million dollar Community Development Block Grant, in combination with four million dollars in funding from the state.
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