University of the Pacific’s planned School of Medicine is receiving early and enthusiastic support from alumni and donors.

The new school will address the Central Valley’s severe and growing physician shortage by creating a pipeline of locally trained practitioners. The region’s first MD-granting medical school, it will expand opportunities for qualified students while improving long-term health outcomes across the region.

Today, Pacific launched a $150 million campaign to establish the medical school. The university secured more than $25 million from several major donors in advance of the public announcement, including from the Stockton-based Cortopassi Family Foundation and from Pacific Regent Tony Chan ’77 and his wife, former Regent Virginia Chan ’77.

“Virginia and I have dedicated our lives to promoting health equity and advancing high-quality health care,” Tony Chan said. “We were elated to learn about Pacific’s vision for the medical school and eager to help move it forward. This will be transformational for the future of the university and the health of our communities.”

Their gift continues the Chans’ long history of championing community health. Tony, Virginia and their children, Jonathan Chan ’09 and Megan Chan ’13, are all graduates of Pacific’s Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy. Tony and Virginia own and operate several independent pharmacies in Southern California serving thousands of patients each year. 

For decades the family has devoted its time and resources to advancing health education at several universities, including Pacific. Their gifts have helped build or renovate state-of-the art teaching facilities at the pharmacy school and the School of Health Sciences and have created multiple program endowments in both schools. They also have endowed four scholarships for Pacific students entering various health fields.

Tony Chan helped drive the creation of Pacific’s graduate degree program in Physician Assistant Studies, which launched in 2016. Physician assistants provide many of the same services as physicians and have had a growing role in providing health care services because they can be trained more quickly. Pacific’s program has graduated more than 300 alumni.

“It is our pleasure to support and honor the health care professionals of today and tomorrow who so selflessly dedicate themselves to the well-being of others,” Chan said. “With Pacific preparing to open a school of medicine, we have been called upon to step up and further contribute to the health of our communities. We hope many others will join us in answering that call.” 

California is projected to face a 20% physician shortage by 2030. Across the Central Valley, physician-to-population ratios already fall well below the minimum threshold for adequate access to care. As a result, one in three residents report difficulty accessing care. Nearly two thirds report delaying or skipping care, while others leave the area to reach providers or rely on emergency departments for routine needs.

With its long history of educating successful health care providers in the region, Pacific is uniquely positioned to address this challenge. The existing strengths of the pharmacy and health sciences schools and the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry will support an interdisciplinary medical education model grounded in regional need. 

“This milestone reflects Pacific’s continued commitment to shaping the future of our region—and it is only possible because of partners like Tony and Virginia Chan,” said President Christopher Callahan. “Tony, Virginia and others recognize the urgency of the region’s health care needs and have tangibly expressed their confidence in Pacific’s ability to meet it. We are grateful for their profound, long-term investment in our community’s future.”

Studies show that a majority of California medical students remain to practice where they trained. By training medical students in Stockton, Pacific will anchor future physicians in the Central Valley, creating a durable pipeline of providers more likely to stay and serve.

“This is one of the largest fundraising campaigns ever for the Stockton campus, supporting one of the most transformational projects in the region’s history,” said Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20. 

“Pacific is fully capable of creating a medical school, but we need everyone to help to realize that vision and make it sustainable. This historic moment invites all of us to join in creating lasting change and uplifting students and our region for generations to come.”

To learn about supporting the University of the Pacific School of Medicine, including available naming opportunities, contact Scott Biedermann at 209.946.2166 or sbiedermann@pacific.edu.