Meharry Medical College, the historically Black medical school based in Nashville, is expanding into Memphis with a new training site aimed at addressing persistent health disparities in the region, including high rates of HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and obesity.
The new program, known as the “Office of Memphis Programs,” was introduced during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 9. It will be housed at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, located on a planned 23-acre mixed-use campus in the Medical District, and will provide support for students during clinical training.
“I see this as a wonderful opportunity to turn the tide on and bring about better health care outcomes in the city of Memphis,” said Rev. Jason Turner of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.
This expansion aligns with Meharry’s broader goal of eventually establishing a branch campus in Memphis, according to the college’s president and CEO, Dr. James E.K. Hildreth Sr. Due to limited hospital availability for student training in Nashville, Meharry has historically had to send students to clinical sites in other states.
“One of the things that the branch campus in Memphis will do for us is to allow us to have two major training sites and not have to send our students to so many places,” he said.
The new training center will feature classrooms, faculty offices, and a student lounge. Hildreth noted that students will receive the same quality education as those at the main Nashville campus while remaining in-state. He added that the facility is a key step toward developing a full branch campus in Memphis.
Memphis, which ranks among U.S. cities with the highest rates of HIV/AIDS, also struggles with chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Hildreth said Meharry’s efforts in the city will concentrate on reducing the burden of these health issues.
“Memphis is a place where we can have a huge impact,” Hildreth said.
Earlier this year, Meharry also acquired four medical clinics in Memphis as part of its growing presence in the city.
Dr. Joseph Walker, a Meharry alumnus, founded Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in 1921 and served as its first pastor.
“It’s serendipitous that their Office of Memphis Programs would be housed in the church that he founded 104 years ago,” Turner said.
With the ribbon-cutting complete, the Memphis office is now fully operational and students will begin participating in activities at the site, Hildreth confirmed.
“The larger vision we have is…to establish connections to the community in terms of public health approaches to addressing the issues,” Hildreth said. “We’re going to do that through the students, but also again we intend to have a whole campus here, with medicine, dentistry, public health, all those things that we do up in Nashville.”
