$200 million gift to NYU medical school targets primary care

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Primary care medical education has gotten a boost in the form of a major gift to a medical school that emphasizes training for students who want to pursue careers in primary care fields.

New York University’s (NYU) Long Island School of Medicine announced last week it has received a $200 million gift from Kenneth and Elaine Langone that will guarantee full tuition scholarships in perpetuity for all students, regardless of need.

In conjunction with the gift, the university said, the school will be renamed the NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine in honor of Robert Grossman, MD, CEO of NYU Langone Health and dean of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in Manhattan.

“By providing our future doctors with an affordable education, we are investing in a brighter and healthier future for all, particularly here on Long Island where Elaine and I grew up,” Kenneth Langone said in a statement. Langone, the founder of Home Depot, also chairs the NYU Langone board of trustees. NYU made a similar guarantee to students at its Manhattan medical school in 2018.

When the Grossman Long Island school opened in 2019, it provided full-tuition scholarships to students who enrolled at the time. The Langones’ gift extends that pledge in perpetuity. Tuition at the Grossman Long Island school covered by the scholarship currently totals $59,738. “As a result of the Langones’ generosity, all future students will benefit from this effort, avoiding approximately $200,000 in debt, the median amount determined by the Association of American Medical Colleges,” the university said.

The university said the Grossman Long Island school is the only one in the country offering a three-year MD degree focused on primary care. Its incoming class of 2026 comprises 24 students pursuing careers in internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and general surgery.

“This extraordinary gift from Ken and Elaine ensures that, just like today’s entering class, students for generations to come can follow their passion for medicine, regardless of their background and financial status,” Grossman said. “Our goal has always been to offer exceptional opportunities to the most talented students. The focus on primary care at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine also allows them to meet a critical need in our local communities and have a real impact.”