Construction is underway on a new College of Osteopathic Medicine in Collier County, marking a significant expansion of Southwest Florida’s healthcare education infrastructure.

Community leaders, healthcare professionals and government officials gathered July 16 for a ceremonial groundbreaking at 8365 Cadenza Road in South Naples. The nearly five-acre site is located off Rattlesnake Hammock Road, east of Collier Boulevard.

The approximately $200 million initiative is expected to deliver Southwest Florida’s first medical school. Plans call for a roughly 108,000-square-foot academic facility with classrooms, laboratories, simulation areas and other spaces designed for medical education and clinical training.

Construction is targeted for completion by the end of 2027. Subject to the necessary approvals and accreditation, the school anticipates welcoming its first class in fall 2028.

At full enrollment, the campus is expected to accommodate approximately 400 students and produce about 100 graduates annually. The four-year program will award Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degrees.

The Naples College of Osteopathic Medicine is being developed by Bay College of Osteopathic Medicine LLC as part of Patel Global University. Robert Hasty, D.O., is serving as the college’s founding dean and chief academic officer.

Naples Comprehensive Health is collaborating with the school to provide clinical education opportunities. The relationship could give students access to physicians, hospitals and other healthcare settings throughout the region while creating a more direct path from medical school to residency and professional practice in Southwest Florida.

The project arrives as healthcare organizations across the region contend with population growth and an increasing need for physicians. Establishing a local medical school may help hospitals and medical practices recruit doctors who already have professional and personal ties to the area.

Local students could also benefit from having a medical education option closer to home. School leaders hope that graduates who study and complete clinical rotations in Southwest Florida will be more inclined to pursue residency training and ultimately establish practices in the region.

Beyond its healthcare implications, the campus is expected to have a sizable economic impact. Projections cited for the development include 338 new jobs between 2026 and 2028, with many positions expected to carry salaries of approximately $100,000. Research activity associated with the school could reach $100 million annually by 2035.

The medical school will also add a new institutional anchor to the rapidly developing corridor surrounding Hacienda Lakes Boulevard and Collier Boulevard. An influx of students, faculty and staff could generate additional demand for housing, retail, professional services and healthcare-related development in South Naples.

If the project proceeds on schedule, its inaugural class would graduate in 2032—beginning a new, locally trained pipeline of physicians for Collier County and the broader Southwest Florida market.

Sources: Marco Eagle, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association