Change is simmering in the world of medical education, and it’s not just happening in the lecture halls or research labs. From hands-on clinical training in Pennsylvania to pioneering online curricula in Michigan, and even kitchen-based classes in Massachusetts, the next generation of doctors is learning in ways that look very different from the staid traditions of the past. These developments, rolling out in 2026, are reshaping how future physicians are trained—and, ultimately, how they’ll care for their patients.
On April 9, 2026, Drexel University College of Medicine announced a significant partnership with UPMC Altoona, establishing the first regional medical campus in the Altoona, Pennsylvania region. According to Drexel University, starting May 11, twelve third- and fourth-year medical students will begin their two-year rotations at UPMC Altoona. This move marks a milestone not just for the university, but for the Altoona community itself, which has never before hosted a medical campus of this kind.
Why Altoona? The answer lies in the breadth and depth of clinical opportunities the hospital offers. UPMC Altoona was selected because it can provide the full range of required clerkship specialties: medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery. For the students, it’s a chance to learn from experienced faculty and mentors, and to gain hands-on experience in a dynamic health care environment. As Charles B. Cairns, MD, the Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean of Drexel’s College of Medicine, put it, “The breadth of hands-on clinical training opportunities afforded to our medical students is among the best in the nation, and we’re thrilled to build on these offerings in Altoona.”
The collaboration is being hailed as a win-win-win: students get invaluable bedside training, physicians and care teams gain fresh perspectives, and patients benefit from the energy and curiosity of future doctors. Mike Corso, president of UPMC Altoona and UPMC Bedford, called it “a significant milestone for UPMC Altoona and for the communities we serve.” He added, “It recognizes the strength of our clinical teams and expands opportunities for future physicians to train in a high-quality, community-based environment.”
The partnership also signals a broader shift in medical education toward more community-based, patient-centered training. David Burwell, M.D., chief quality officer of UPMC in West Central Pa. and Maryland, emphasized the importance of mentorship: “As a regional medical campus, UPMC Altoona will provide the full range of required clerkship experiences—supported by dedicated faculty, strong mentorship, and hands-on learning in a dynamic clinical setting. We’re excited to partner with Drexel to help train the next generation of physicians.”
But the evolution of medical training isn’t limited to traditional hospital rotations. In Detroit, Michigan, innovation is happening online. In March 2026, Dr. Jack Tomen, a senior fellow in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine, was honored with the 2026 Award for Novel Medical Education Implementation from the Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Directors. His project? An online e-learning curriculum titled “An E-Learning Curriculum on Applied Respiratory Physiology for Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Programs.”
Dr. Tomen’s curriculum, hosted on edpuzzle.com, consists of ten online modules designed for first-year fellows to complete at their own pace. The modules are bookended by pre- and post-tests, allowing educators to measure just how much students have learned. “We saw a significant improvement in the scores from the pre-test to the post-test,” Dr. Tomen explained. The project was born out of a recognition that medical education isn’t always standardized across institutions. “There are many factors that contribute to this, including faculty time, resources and expertise, funding and overall time. Fellowship can be super busy, and filling gaps in teaching can be difficult,” he said.
The online format offers a solution to these challenges, making high-quality education accessible to more learners—anytime, anywhere. Dr. Tomen’s work was guided by mentors like Professor Abdulghani Sankari, M.D., and supported by an advisory committee. “The CE track has resulted in outstanding educational projects that were presented at international meetings, won several prestigious awards and resulted in publications in leading peer-reviewed journals,” said Dr. Ayman Soubani, chief of the division and a professor of Internal Medicine at Wayne State. The clinical education program has a strong track record of project recognition, and Dr. Tomen was quick to credit his mentors for their support: “I would not have been able to complete the curriculum and be recognized for a national award had it not been for my mentors in the program.”
Meanwhile, in Boston, the kitchen is becoming the classroom. On April 10, 2026, The New York Times spotlighted the “Food Is Medicine” movement, which is gaining traction in medical schools nationwide. Lauren Estess, a third-year student at Tufts University School of Medicine, is among a new wave of future doctors learning that what goes on a patient’s plate can be just as important as what goes in their prescription bottle. “It’s unfortunately a big misconception that medicine doesn’t have anything to do with food,” she said, as she chopped dill during a culinary medicine class. The course, launched in spring 2025, blends case studies with hands-on cooking in an effort to show that affordable, disease-targeted meals can be as crucial as medication.
This isn’t just a quirky elective—it’s part of a larger, research-backed movement. Since Tulane University established the first teaching kitchen in 2012, more than 60 medical schools, residency programs, and nursing schools have adopted versions of Tulane’s curriculum, now adapted by the American College of Culinary Medicine. The movement brings together the progressive ideals of the Good Food Movement with the pragmatic, food-centered Make America Healthy Again agenda, all under the banner that “food is an essential part of health care.”
The “Food Is Medicine” approach is more than just a slogan. It’s a philosophy that’s changing the way doctors think about prevention and treatment, and it’s being woven into the fabric of medical education. The idea is simple: teaching doctors kitchen literacy is one way to ensure they’re equipped to counsel patients on healthy eating, making the kitchen an extension of the doctor’s office. As The New York Times noted, “Teaching doctors kitchen literacy is one piece of a growing movement called Food Is Medicine. Think of it as a modern, research-backed version of ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away.’”
All these stories—from Altoona to Detroit to Boston—point to a medical education landscape that’s more diverse, more dynamic, and more attuned to the real-world needs of patients. Whether it’s clinical rotations in community hospitals, cutting-edge online modules, or culinary medicine classes, the next generation of doctors is being trained to think beyond the textbook. And that, for patients and practitioners alike, might be the best medicine of all.