The Plan to Move UNE's Medical School

Moving UNE COM to Portland

Work is underway to relocate the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM), Maine’s only medical school, from its original home on our Biddeford Campus to a brand-new building on our Portland Campus for the Health Sciences. The move will give the UNE COM community a custom-built, state-of-the-art facility, allow the school to train more doctors, and bring together all of UNE’s health professions programs on a single, interprofessional campus — something unique in New England higher education.

Watch the Progress Live

We all looked at the first design that the architects came out with and said, ‘Wow, that’s exactly what we were thinking!’” — Jane Carreiro, D.O., Dean of UNE COM

Exterior CGI rendering of the upcoming COM building

Rendering of an interior space in the upcoming COM building

CGI rendering of an interior space in the upcoming COM building

Interior rendering of the upcoming COM building

A Transformative Moment For Maine

This is a transformative moment — not just for UNE, but for the state of Maine — allowing us to address critical healthcare disparities across the region and graduate health professionals with best-in-class skills: improving patient outcomes through team-based care; fostering expertise with new and emerging technologies; and expanding our focus on cross-cultural competencies.

Although many details are still being finalized (and are subject to change), look to this page for the latest information, to be updated as the project unfolds.

Highlights From The Groundbreaking

What

The new building will be called the Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences to honor the generosity of the Alfond family and their longtime support of UNE.

Size

Current plans call for the new facility to be 110,000 square feet.

When

COVID has disrupted original plans and estimates. The project groundbreaking took place on November 29, 2022 and is expected to be completed in late 2024.

Where

The new facility will be located behind Innovation Hall, in an area that was once used by the National Guard.

Cost and Funding

The current estimate for the project is $93 million, and UNE has begun fundraising. Early contributions include a generous $30 million commitment from the Harold Alfond Foundation; $5 million in federal funding; and pledges from UNE trustees, alumni, and friends.

UNE COM plans to raise an additional $5 million from our college’s alumni and friends. If you'd like to support this important project, please contact Alicia R. Fereday, vice president for Institutional Advancement at afereday@sherbornecottages.com or (207) 221-4372.

Our health professions students will benefit from amazing new learning spaces in the new facility designed for simulation, standardized patients, and digital health and telemedicine, all of which will help UNE to realize its full potential as a national leader in interprofessional health professions education.” — James Herbert, Ph.D., President of UNE