Fayetteville State University, the oldest public historically Black college and university in North Carolina, and Meharry Medical College, the historically Black academic health science center located in Nashville, Tennessee, have entered into an agreement that will address the need for providing quality medical care and skilled health care professionals in the Fayetteville region.
The partnership between the two HBCUs will address the medical needs of the region by doing the following:
- Establishing and implementing a 3-plus-3-plus-3 program (three years for pre-med from FSU, three years of medical school at Meharry, and three years of residency in Cumberland County).
- Establishing and implementing a pre-dental track for students interested in dentistry.
- Establishing and implementing a rural training track residency training program in the southeast region of North Carolina.
“We are so pleased to be entering into this partnership with Meharry Medical College,” said Peggy Valentine, interim chancellor at Fayetteville State University. “Working with an institution of Meharry’s caliber to produce highly qualified medical professionals will be mutually beneficial not only to FSU but also to the people of Cumberland County. We know that this part of the state needs more physicians and dentists of color to serve residents who are disproportionately affected by health disparities. FSU is glad to be doing its part in addressing this critical need.”