Momentum for USD Sanford School of Medicine Transition Accelerates Timeline
The University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine has announced that it is expediting the transition of the Doctor of Medicine program from Vermillion to Sioux Falls, thanks to a commitment from Sanford Health to provide a building for the program on its campus and to Avera for also providing classroom space to enhance collaboration and integration opportunities with health systems in Sioux Falls.
This news comes after an August 2025 announcement that USD would move the first 18 months of the M.D. program, referred to as Pillar 1 of the medical school’s curriculum, to Sioux Falls starting in the summer of 2027. The multi-phase plan included use of a temporary location while a permanent site was identified.
The medical school will now bypass the temporary phase of its transition plan, with Sanford Health providing a permanent facility to house the program, as well as a new anatomy lab. Avera is providing educational space in Sioux Falls, as well as further opportunities for collaboration.
USD’s M.D. program and medical student support services will be housed in Sanford Health’s Talley Building, which is adjacent to the medical school’s existing facility on Sanford Health’s main Sioux Falls campus. The building is named after Dr. Robert Talley, who served as dean of the USD Sanford School of Medicine and was a driving force in initially establishing the medical school’s presence in Sioux Falls. This location enables the medical school to expand its current footprint in the city and renovate an existing medical facility.
The medical school is expected to move Pillar 1 and medical student support services to the new location in Sioux Falls by the summer of 2028.
USD’s medical school has had a presence in Sioux Falls for more than 50 years, including a physical presence in its Health Science Center since 1994. This transition builds upon long-standing partnerships with Avera and Sanford Health, both of which have provided support through residency programs and other collaborations.
“We are grateful to Sanford Health and Avera for their generosity in providing space to support USD’s medical education,” said USD President Sheila K. Gestring. “Sanford Health’s Talley Building offers invaluable proximity to our current medical school campus in Sioux Falls, and Avera’s facilities will expand the learning opportunities we can offer. These plans create a cost-effective path forward and enable us to expedite this transition—positioning USD to deliver the best possible medical education even sooner.”
“Sanford Health is proud to support the USD Sanford School of Medicine as it builds on its medical education footprint in Sioux Falls. Investing in medical education is one of the most important commitments we can make to the future of health care because it means building a strong, highly trained workforce that will care for our communities for generations,” said Sanford Health President and CEO Bill Gassen. “By expanding the medical school’s presence on our campus, we are creating an environment where education, research and clinical care come together in powerful ways. We could not be more excited for this next chapter and for the opportunity to shape the future of medicine right here in Sioux Falls.”
“Avera has a long history of working with USD’s medical school, as well as other clinical academic institutions, and views the school as a vital state resource. Last year Avera offered over a thousand clinical rotations and will continue to invest in clinical education and building a strong, sustainable health care workforce for the future of our communities,” said Chief Medical Officer for Avera Dr. Kevin Post. “More than half of the USD Frontier And Rural Medicine students are in Avera communities receiving a valuable education, which allows us to train future physicians in a unique environment where we hope they will want to live and practice in the future.”
Dr. Tim Ridgway, dean of the USD Sanford School of Medicine and vice president of health affairs, emphasized the value of collaboration in delivering a quality medical education.
“USD’s medical school has strong, long-standing partnerships with the state’s health systems—partnerships that make what we do possible,” said Ridgway. “The support of Avera, Sanford Health, Monument Health, Veterans Affairs Health and independent providers is critical in our shared mission to serve the state; we could not develop physicians without the resources and residencies they provide or without our clinical faculty. Together, we are shaping the future of medical education and improving quality health care for communities across South Dakota.”
With medical education and clinical partners in closer proximity, the USD Sanford School of Medicine will be well positioned to enhance pre-clinical instruction, promote collaborative research and strengthen its capacity to recruit and retain expert faculty in Sioux Falls.
USD maintains a webpage dedicated to this medical school transition; additional resources and answers to frequently asked questions are available at usd.edu/SSOMInSiouxFalls.
About USD Sanford School of Medicine
Since 1907, the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine has served South Dakota as its only medical school, playing an important role in building the state's health care workforce, providing quality care and upholding strong partnerships across the state. With an award-winning curriculum, the school prepares medical students to practice in all fields of medicine and is recognized for its reputation in family medicine and rural medicine. In addition to the M.D., the Sanford School of Medicine offers graduate degrees in biomedical and translational sciences, sustains a vibrant and forward-looking research agenda and is home to the interdisciplinary Center for Brain and Behavioral Research.
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