A little less than 10 months after the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans for a medical school to be built at its flagship university, Brigham Young University announced the future site for the facility.
The BYU School of Medicine building will be built on the west side of the university’s Provo, Utah, campus, on the site of the old Provo High School building, near Intermountain Health’s Utah Valley Hospital, according to a BYU News release on Monday, May 19.
BYU President C. Shane Reese noted in the release that since last year’s announcement, the BYU medical school has received tremendous interest. “We appreciate the enthusiasm and support for the BYU School of Medicine from people and organizations across the world,” he said.
The former Provo High School facility, along University Avenue, was purchased by Brigham Young University in 2016 and was leased back to the Provo School District until a new high school campus was completed in west Provo.
Since 2022, the building has been accommodating the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications until the completion of the new art building. The news release notes that the planning and construction of the BYU School of Medicine building will not interfere with the operations of CFAC students, faculty and staff.
The Harris Fine Arts Center — which previously housed the BYU School of Music as well as other visual, and performing arts and communications programs — was demolished in early 2023. BYU’s new Music Building was dedicated April 16, and it is expected that the new art building will be completed late this year or early next year.
More about BYU medical school
In its July 29, 2024, announcement, the First Presidency explained that the medical school will focus on teaching, training and research in areas of strategic importance to the Church, such as international health issues and the Church’s worldwide humanitarian efforts.
On Sept. 4, 2024, President Reese noted in a letter posted on BYU News that the new medical school will offer Doctor of Medicine degrees, or MDs.
He also explained that the new building will accommodate the classroom instruction and administrative needs of the medical school, while clinical training will occur in multiple off-site hospital locations.
“Jesus Christ healed the sick and served those in need. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we believe BYU’s medical school is another way to lift God’s children,” President Reese said.
Less than a month later, the university announced the appointment of Dr. Mark J. Ott as the inaugural dean of the new medical school.
Ott, a practicing surgical oncologist, “has a deep commitment to BYU’s spiritual mission and has lived a life of service and quiet devotion to the true Master Healer, Jesus Christ,” said President Reese.
The next day, Oct. 11, 2024, BYU announced the appointment of Dustin Matsumori, Intermountain Health’s vice president of corporate development, as managing director of BYU’s medical school planning.
In Monday’s news release, Ott assured that “many deeply committed people are moving this work forward, directed by the vision put forward by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
