Santa Clara University and Sutter Health announced plans for a new Santa Clara medical school backed by a $175 million gift, aiming to train future physicians in the South Bay.
The Mark & Mary Stevens School of Medicine was announced on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the future campus site in Santa Clara. The school will be housed in an 82,000-square-foot facility under construction at 2431 Mission College Blvd., near Sutter’s East Santa Clara Campus.
New Santa Clara Medical School Targets Doctor Shortage
The medical school is part of a partnership between Santa Clara University and Sutter Health, one of Northern California’s major healthcare systems. University and healthcare leaders said the project is intended to help address long-term physician shortages in California and across the United States.
The school is supported by a $175 million donation from venture capitalist Mark Stevens and Mary Stevens, a longtime Santa Clara University trustee and alumna. Sutter Health said the gift helps fund what it described as the first new medical school in the San Francisco Bay Area in more than a century.
AI, Simulation and Human-Centered Care
Santa Clara University President Julie Sullivan said the school will be rooted in the university’s Jesuit tradition while preparing doctors to use emerging medical technology. The program is expected to include artificial intelligence, digital health tools and simulation-based training.
Sutter Health CEO Warner Thomas said the partnership is designed to train physicians for a changing healthcare system while keeping patient-centered care at the center of medical education.
University leaders said about 700 Santa Clara students are already pursuing pre-health academic tracks, including medicine, nursing and dentistry.
Why It Matters for the South Bay
The new school could strengthen the South Bay’s healthcare workforce by creating a pipeline of trained physicians who may later serve local hospitals, clinics and medical centers.
For Santa Clara and the wider Bay Area, the project connects Silicon Valley’s technology ecosystem with medical education at a time when healthcare systems are preparing for growing and aging populations.
