The CUNY School of Medicine in New York City will transition into an independent institution, separating from the City University of New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Nov. 19.
The change will enable CUNY Medicine to expand its academic programs, streamline accreditation and strengthen its mission to train diverse medical professionals and improve care in New York City.
The school will become a graduate-level institution overseen by the CUNY Graduate Center, adding master's, doctoral and post-graduate residency programs. The 50-year-old medical school will also maintain its holistic admissions process, which does not require MCAT scores.
Nearly 70% of CUNY Medical's entering students identify as Black or Latino, and 86% qualify for needs-based financial aid. Notably, the school trains one out of every five Black medical students in New York City.
The transition comes after significant investments in the medical school, including a $19.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for a health equity center and a $4 million allocation in New York state's 2024-25 state budget, according to a Nov. 20 news release.