Beginning in 2026, East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine will welcome more students as part of its entering classes each year, supporting the college’s mission to serve the underserved and respond to a growing nationwide need for physicians.
The Class of 2026 will have 100 students, up from the 78-member Class of 2025 that the college welcomed in July. Quillen remains one of the smallest class sizes in the nation, with a 2:1 faculty-to-student ratio.
The Quillen College of Medicine last expanded its class size in 2021, when it increased from 72 students. In the 2025-26 application cycle, the college received a record number of applications with 4,009.
“This is an exciting moment in our college’s storied history,” said Dr. Bill Block, dean of the Quillen College of Medicine and ETSU’s vice president for Clinical Affairs. “Being able to expand our incoming class sizes will not only allow us to graduate more physicians, it supports our mission to serve the underserved, including here in Appalachia.”
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects the United States will face a shortage of more than 80,000 physicians by 2036 due to a number of factors, including a growing (and aging) population, according to a 2024 study.
In rural and underserved communities, the impact of this shortage is projected to be even more significant.
“The Quillen College of Medicine is a shining example of the impact our health sciences colleges make in rural and underserved communities, not just in our region but across the nation,” said ETSU’s Dr. Kimberly McCorkle, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “Through this expansion, the Quillen College of Medicine will be able to train more physicians to fill much-needed roles in communities across Appalachia and beyond.”
The Quillen College of Medicine has long been recognized for the number of graduates who go on to practice in primary care and in medically underserved areas, and the Class of 2025 was no exception, with nearly half heading to residency in primary care.
In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked Quillen second in the nation for the “Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas,” and the college was also designated a “Tier 1” school – placing it among the top-16 in the nation – for “2025 Best Medical Schools: Primary Care.”
Both rankings were the best among colleges in Tennessee, and are a direct reflection of Quillen’s commitment to serving rural and underserved communities, underscoring why ETSU is the flagship institution of Appalachia.
To learn more about the Quillen College of Medicine, visit etsu.edu/com/.
