Ϲ Students Begin a New Year of Learning, Discovery, and Community Impact
The Ϲ (Ϲ) opened the 2025–26 academic year with steady enrollment across its three schools and campuses – anchored by a record-setting increase in the School of Pharmacy.
This fall, Ϲ welcomed 447 new students who began their training as physicians, pharmacists, scientists, and healthcare leaders committed to improving health in Wisconsin and beyond. In total, more than 1,600 students were enrolled across Ϲ’s programs, reflecting the institution’s enduring mission to advance the health of the public through education, research, patient care, and community engagement.
School of Pharmacy Welcomes Largest Incoming Class
The School of Pharmacy reached a major milestone with its largest entering class to date: 60 new Doctor of Pharmacy students, up from 44 the previous year. This growth, achieved amid national challenges in pharmacy school recruitment, reflected the program’s reputation for innovative training focused on medication safety, access, and patient outcomes. With total enrollment now at 145 students, the School continued to attract individuals dedicated to advancing pharmacy practice and improving care for patients and communities.
Ϲ-Green Bay Celebrating 10th Anniversary
The School of Medicine remained Ϲ’s largest academic program, with 1,057 students enrolled across the Milwaukee, Central Wisconsin, and Green Bay campuses. The incoming class of 274 medical students included 225 in Milwaukee, 25 in Green Bay, and 24 in Central Wisconsin – the latter reflecting a planned increase at the Wausau-based campus.
This year also marked the 10th anniversary of Ϲ-Green Bay’s inaugural class, underscoring the institution’s commitment to educating physicians in communities where they are needed most. Together with Ϲ-Central Wisconsin, these regional campuses continued to expand access to care in underserved areas.
Incoming medical students represented 29 states and five countries, with Wisconsin as the largest home state at 53 percent of the class. Ages ranged from 19 to 57, and nine students had previously earned an Ϲ degree – reflecting the opportunities Ϲ provides for talented students to continue their education and advance their training.
The class also included Ϲ’s largest cohort of MD/MS dual-degree students, numbering six, and eight new participants in the Medical Scientist Training Program, who will combine medical education with PhD-level research in biomedical sciences or public health.
Graduate Studies Enrollment and Program Updates
In the School of Graduate Studies, total PhD enrollment reached 333 students across nine programs, with 47 new PhD candidates joining the ranks. International students accounted for 45 percent of total enrollment, strengthening Ϲ’s research enterprise through diverse global perspectives. Master’s programs remained steady overall, with growth in the Master of Medical Physiology program (from 11 to 15 students) and continued full enrollment in the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling program, maintaining a 12-student cohort for the second consecutive year.
This year’s enrollment and program milestones reflected Ϲ’s established strengths – rigorous education, collaborative training, and community partnerships that connect learning to real-world impact. Across its three schools and regional campuses, Ϲ continues to prepare scientists, clinicians, and health professionals whose work advances research, patient care, and public health throughout Wisconsin and beyond.