HonorHealth and Arizona State University reimagine medical education, together

In a significant move with far-reaching implications for Arizona, HonorHealth and Arizona State University forged a groundbreaking alliance that marks a new era in medical education and healthcare innovation. HonorHealth is the new primary clinical affiliate for the recently formed ASU School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering — marking the beginning of a transformative relationship: a new medical school grounded in cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), real-world clinical immersion and a bold commitment to community health in practice and physician retention.

Amid physician shortages in Arizona, burnout and a post-pandemic reckoning of healthcare gaps, both the hospital system and the university realized an opportunity to leverage their similar missions of innovation and accessible community health.

Planned to open its doors in fall 2026, The ASU School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering is unique in its design. Medical students will not only focus on medicine but also on healthcare technology today and the future. Students will graduate with both a doctoral degree in medicine and a master’s degree in medical engineering. The design is one of transformative education that supports the demands of future healthcare needs and redefines a new vision for what it means to be a physician, while ensuring the humanism and empathy that is needed for the practice of medicine.

“Through this collaboration, we aim to cultivate the next generation of physicians who are committed to improving the health of our community and who provide compassionate care that will transform lives of Arizonans for generations,” said Todd LaPorte, HonorHealth CEO, in his announcement of the landmark agreement.

Priya Radhakrishnan, MD, FACP, vice president and chief academic officer for HonorHealth, will also serve as the vice dean of clinical affairs and graduate medical education for the new school of medicine.

“Students won’t just study medicine — they’ll help shape it,” she explains. “Our physician engineers, through their training, will tackle real clinical problems using engineering-based solutions. It’s about creativity, curiosity, compassion and working together for the best outcomes.”

Innovation at the Core
The curriculum is being built from the ground up to prepare doctors for a fast-changing world. It includes:

• Longitudinal clinical clerkships where students partner with clinicians from their first year, observing real patient care tied directly to what they’re learning in class.
• Engineering-focused training that will explore applications such as wearable devices for chronic disease management, robotics in surgery, AI-assisted diagnostics and sensor technologies.
• Patient avatars and extended reality (XR) used in both student learning and patient education.

“The physician shortage isn’t coming — it’s here,” Dr. Radhakrishnan states. “We want to train a dynamic workforce that will dig roots here and continue to elevate the caliber of healthcare while also creating a physician workforce prepared for the future of healthcare.”

By launching medical education programs grounded in technology, innovation and real-world practice, HonorHealth and ASU aim to retain top talent in Arizona, train physicians to think like innovators and deliver better health outcomes for all. Training in engineering will allow graduating physicians to adeptly meet the future of medicine — through the synergy of medicine plus innovation and the use of technology for better patient outcomes.

For example, there has been a significant rise in the number of surgeries performed laparoscopically or through robotic assistance. In the field of Urology alone, the adoption rate for robotic assisted surgeries has reached almost 80 percent. General surgery and women’s health are also rapidly incorporating these technologies for minimally invasive surgical techniques that minimize patient down time and accelerate healing times. And the next generation of doctors will need this focus on the medical technology of the future.

A Community-Based Vision
The pre-clinical classes will begin at ASU, while clinical training will take place across HonorHealth hospitals and outpatient settings, especially in primary care. This hands-on, longitudinal approach ensures students understand patients in context and build lasting relationships with their preceptors.

And the benefits won’t stop with physicians. The initiative will also impact nursing and public health technology fields, thanks to the broader umbrella of ASU Health, which includes partnerships across public health, research and tech innovation.

“We’re already collaborating with ASU’s nursing school,” says Dr. Radhakrishnan. “And we’re identifying ways to connect research, tech and clinical care across disciplines — from medicine to nursing to community care."

All of this collaboration and focus on the future of medicine for physicians and nurses are what elevates healthcare in our community. And, it means HonorHealth Foundation will be a key partner in the efforts to address funding critical innovation and programming.

Powered by Philanthropy and Partnership
This challenge represents a new opportunity for HonorHealth Foundation and its supporters.

The focus areas include:

• Faculty support and time for curriculum design and research
• Advanced simulation and XR technology
• A new education building and augmented learning spaces
• Endowed Chairs in areas like psychiatry, cardiology, oncology, neurosciences and more

“These endowed chairs will align the educational mission with clinical excellence,” says Dr. Radhakrishnan. “They’ll help unify efforts across departments while advancing research and innovation.”

The school will launch with 36 students per class, growing over time — but it’s not about size. It’s about doing it right. “We want every student to feel supported and inspired to lead,” Dr. Radhakrishnan emphasizes. “HonorHealth has been an educational institution for 50 years — growing physicians and nurses through training. We currently have 19 graduate programs we offer on our own at HonorHealth,” explains Dr. Radhakrishnan. “True to form, we are actively involved in the curriculum design with ASU. As the most collaborative healthcare system in the Valley, I’m excited about this new partnership with one of America’s most innovative universities.”

Why this, why now?
The answer, according to Dr. Radhakrishnan, is simple: “Because healthcare is changing fast — and we need to change with it. Our community deserves doctors who not only treat illness but improve the system itself.”

From AI diagnostics to precision genomics, the tools of tomorrow are already here. “When I was a kid, I loved Star Trek,” she laughs. “Spock had a tricorder that scanned a body and gave a diagnosis. That seemed like science fiction. But now? With artificial intelligence, we’re getting close.”

Equally important is the school’s commitment to health equity, ensuring that no matter how advanced care becomes, it remains accessible to all. “We’re designing for the future — but with everyone in mind,” she says.

A Collective Effort
The excitement for the project is palpable across teams — from clinicians to faculty to fundraising leaders. Collaboration with executive leadership at HonorHealth and HonorHealth Research Institute is helping identify key areas for innovation and research. Meanwhile, CEO Todd LaPorte and HonorHealth’s EVP, Chief Physician Executive and Network Strategy Officer, Dr. John Neil — and others — are shaping the strategic foundation to make this dream a reality.

And there’s a lot more to come over the next 14 to 18 months.

“Our alignment with ASU will further enhance HonorHealth’s position as the most innovative, highest quality integrated healthcare delivery network in the state of Arizona. This will supercharge our efforts to attract and retain world class clinical and research talent to serve our community and will also serve as a tremendous source of qualified and committed talent across all of the other roles that are needed to operate a world class health system,” says Dr. Neil. “Working with ASU to develop a medical school from the ground up is an amazing opportunity to set the new standard for medical education and will ultimately be a gift to our community that gives back for generations to come.”

With the support of our generous community, HonorHealth, HonorHealth Foundation and ASU are helping to design a healthier future for all Arizonans.

Learn more about ways you can support this visionary effort and participate in this exciting collaboration.

 

This story originally appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of Reflections of Honor.