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The basics:

• AtlantiCare, Temple partner on new Atlantic City medical school campus
• First South Jersey campus for Temple’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine
• Will enroll 40 students per class starting in August 2029
• Aims to address physician shortages, expand regional training

Temple University‘s Lewis Katz School of Medicine and AtlantiCare formalized a partnership April 30 to establish a new regional medical school campus in Atlantic City.

The collaboration aims to strengthen the physician pipeline in South Jersey while also expanding access to medical education and care.

The campus will become one of four primary locations for the Katz School of Medicine. The site is expected to serve as a long-term investment in workforce development and regional health outcomes.

“AtlantiCare is proud to partner with Temple University on what we believe is one of the most significant investments in the future of Atlantic City and South Jersey in decades,” said Michael Charlton, president and CEO of AtlantiCare. “A School of Medicine in this region will help strengthen the physician pipeline, create new opportunity for students and support healthier communities for generations to come.”

Temple President John Fry said the university is “delighted to partner with AtlantiCare.” He described it as the premier healthcare provider in southeastern New Jersey.

“Both Temple and the Katz School of Medicine are guided by the belief that education and healthcare open doors and transform communities, and that is exactly what we have accomplished in Pennsylvania,” Fry added. “With AtlantiCare, we now have the ideal new partner to help us further our impact.”

Investing in South Jersey’s future

The initiative aligns with AtlantiCare’s Vision 2030 strategy. Announced in 2024, the long-term plan focuses on workforce development, innovation and improving care across the region. At the time, the system said it would partner with Drexel University College of Medicine to establish a medical school.

Re-confirming the partnership with Temple’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine and the role of academic partnerships, AtlantiCare told NJBIZ in a statement, “We value every collaboration that advances medical education and patient care. Earlier exploratory discussions with other institutions helped inform our strategic direction but did not progress to a formal partnership. We remain focused on aligning with partners who share our long-term vision and commitment to building a sustainable, high-impact pipeline of clinicians for the communities we serve.

“Our partnership with Temple University advances a long-term vision for AtlantiCare, Atlantic City, and the region — where ‘meds and eds’ serve as engines of transformation, creating a hub of innovation and economic mobility,” the statement continued. “By aligning healthcare and higher education, AtlantiCare is helping to reshape the socioeconomic landscape of Atlantic City and South Jersey, opening new career pathways and opportunities for generations to come.”

In the Thursday announcement, Charlton noted the Temple partnership represents a critical step as healthcare systems grapple with workforce shortages. He called it “an important investment in the future workforce South Jersey will need.” Charlton added it brings together Temple’s strength in medical education with AtlantiCare’s deep regional presence.

“And it reflects the kind of bold, long-term work we are advancing through Vision 2030,” said Charlton.

The new campus expects to enroll 40 students per class. Slated to begin in August 2029, the first cohort would graduate in May 2033. Beyond first- and second-year students, the site will also support third- and fourth-year clinical rotations. The roster will expand training capacity across AtlantiCare’s network, which serves more than 1 million residents across South Jersey.

“The launch of a new regional campus with AtlantiCare, our first in South Jersey, represents an exciting milestone for the Lewis Katz School of Medicine,” said Amy Goldberg, dean of the school. “Our partnership with AtlantiCare expands where and how our students learn while strengthening our commitment to training physicians who serve communities across the region.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 2:37 p.m. April 30, 2026, to include additional comments from AtlantiCare on prior medical school plans.