SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - History is being made right now, at one of the nation's leading hospitals that has campuses right here in Arizona. The first class of future doctors is making its way through Arizona's Mayo Clinic School of Medicine.
Only 50 students were chosen out of more than 3,000 applications, embarking on an elite journey through one of the toughest medical schools in the country.
Ryan Dunn and Crystal Huang are two of the 50 students excited to be part of the first class of Arizona's Mayo Medical School.
"I was in shock all day, I couldn't believe it," Dunn said. "I still can't really believe it."
"It's been really wonderful," Huang said.
"(We're) learning from the best but also learning from people who are very humble and focused on the patient," Dunn said.
They're studying in a state of the art sim-lab, anatomy lab and inside smaller classrooms that encourage teamwork.
"We're learning about health and public policy and this is all material that will be really relevant for my personal future," Huang said.
Dunn and Huang will not only leave with a medical degree but also a certificate in the science of health care delivery. It's unique partnership with ASU, said Associate Dean, Dr. Joseph Drazkowski.
"We want to train the future leaders of health care," Drazkowski said. "(So they) have an intricate knowledge of what's going on in health care, what's wrong with it, what can be done to fix it."
The Valley is also feeling the positive effects of these future doctors, as they'll also work in local clinics with the Salvation Army at county hospitals and at Phoenix Children's Hospital while they study.
"So they'll have a big breadth of experiences among all population bases," he said.
While it's too soon to tell which path students like Ryan or Crystal will take, one thing is for sure. They're ready to advance medicine, with the patient at top of mind.
By the time these 50 students graduate in just four years, there will be 200 students going through Mayo Medical School in Arizona.