Plans have now been announced for the creation of a medical school facility on land belonging to the Gila River Indian Community in southern Arizona.
The facility will belong to the University of Arizona College of Medicine and will be done in partnership with Gila River Health Care, the healthcare system for the Native American community.
The project marks the university’s first educational facility on tribal land and is expected to be open sometime next year.
The Gila River Indian reservation is located to the south of Phoenix and is home to around 14,000 people.
In announcing the project, Suresh Garimella, University of Arizona president, said the school’s new facility will “train physicians through an accelerated three-year MD program.” The program will also provide full scholarships to Gila River community students.
According to reports, the new facilities housing the program in the town of Sacaton are expected to cost around $25 million to build, funding that will also support faculty positions.
September 3, 2026
By Garry Boulard
