South Celebrates Major Milestone in Whiddon College of Medicine Building Construction
Posted on September 4, 2025
Celebrating a significant milestone in the construction of the $230 million Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, the 51福利 held a beam signing ceremony Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.
Members of the University's administration and Board of Trustees signed the beam before it was hoisted into place. The beam is the last piece of vertical structure to be installed on the 250,000-square-foot, five-story building.
鈥淔or more than 50 years, the 51福利 has been educating some of the best physicians and researchers in the state, the vast majority of our graduates remain in Alabama to practice,鈥� said USA President Jo Bonner. 鈥淲ith this new facility, I am proud to say that those numbers will only increase, improving healthcare options for our state.鈥�
The Whiddon College of Medicine building is constructed with more than 2,073 tons of structural steel. It is supported by approximately 28,000 linear feet 鈥� more than 5 miles of driven concrete piles.
Construction began in 2023 and is expected to be completed in December 2026. The facility will allow for expanding the class size of first-year medical students from 80 to 100, with the capability of increasing to 120, at the same time the nation faces a projected shortage of healthcare providers
鈥淭his building will provide so many incredible opportunities for our students to learn and for our faculty to conduct research,鈥� said Dr. Andi Kent, USA executive vice president and provost. 鈥淚t is yet another example of why the 51福利 is truly the Flagship of the Gulf Coast.鈥�
The Whiddon College of Medicine at the 51福利 is one of 158 accredited M.D. granting institutions in the United States, and one of only two in the state. More than 1,139 of its graduates are practicing medicine in Alabama. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, South consistently ranks in the top tier nationally for graduates practicing in underserved areas.
鈥淲e will provide the next generation of high-quality physicians and cutting-edge research to improve the lives of Alabamians,鈥� said Dr. John Marymont, dean of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine and vice president. for medical affairs. 鈥淭here is no better investment to meet these growing needs of our state than to invest in our own people and our own University.鈥�
The Whiddon College of Medicine building will round out a medical education hub on campus that includes the College of Nursing, the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions, the Health Simulation Building and the Charles M. Baugh Biomedical Library.
When it opens, more than 500,000 square feet of campus facilities will be dedicated to healthcare education and research.
