University of Colorado School of Medicine at Colorado State University

The University of Colorado School of Medicine (CU SOM) collaborated with Colorado State University (CSU) to develop a four-year branch campus in Fort Collins. The leadership at both the CU SOM and at CSU looked to expand their integrated efforts in human health and build upon their long standing collaborations on numerous robust research programs.

This collaboration came to fruition as the first four-year cohort of 12 medical students matriculated in July 2021. The Fort Collins Branch Campus works closely with the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at CSU to effectively teach foundational and advanced science content.

Since 2020, the program has also welcomed medical student cohorts from the CU Anschutz Medical Campus to complete their core clinical training year in the Fort Collins medical community. The clinical community and the patients in Northern Colorado have been tremendous partners in this endeavor, paving the way for excellent clinical training. The Fort Collins community at large has also played a key role in this successful partnership.

It was exciting to start this new branch campus as the CU SOM simultaneously launched a new curriculum. We are partnering on many levels with the goal of preparing graduates to address the complex health care issues that individuals and society face. The new campus provides novel opportunities by integrating some of the best of what both institutions have to offer from science education to translational research to a One Health framework and more.

The Fort Collins branch is housed on the fourth floor of the CSU Health and Medical Center, which opened in 2017. The space was built out as a state-of-the-art learning space for the CU SOM at CSU.

Suzanne Brandenburg, Associate Dean for Medical Education, Fort Collins Branch

While the advantages of being affiliated with two major universities are attractive in themselves, I primarily chose the FCB because I knew I would thrive in the more intimate learning environment. 

Nick F., Class of 2025