A medical college is coming to Greeley.

The Colorado Senate on Friday passed a $247 million bill for four health care-related projects at schools of higher education including $127 million for a college of osteopathic medicine at the University of Northern Colorado.

The measure was approved by the Senate in a 33-1 vote Friday morning in Denver. Kevin Van Winkle, a Republican from Douglas County, was the lone dissenting vote. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year and passed the House last week.

“Grateful, humbled, honored,” UNC President Andy Feinstein said Friday, adding he rang a celebratory gong at university offices after learning of the bill’s passage.

“Now the real work gets underway,” Feinstein continued. “We take this very seriously and the expectations of the state to address health care shortage. I am committed to doing just that.”

UNC’s funding will go to the construction of a 100,000-square-foot academic building on the site currently occupied by Bishop-Lehr Hall on 20th Street near 11th Avenue. By its third or fourth year, the college will graduate 150 students a year in an effort to address projected physician shortages in Colorado.

Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County, Sen. Kyle Mullica, D-Adams County, Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley, and Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada, sponsored the bill.

The next step is for Gov. Polis to sign the bill, which could happen “soon,” according to Feinstein. Polis’ office said Friday afternoon the governor has not yet received the bill.

While UNC’s portion accounts for the lion’s share of the approved funding, the bill also covers significant projects at three other institutions: $50 million for Colorado State to expand its veterinary school, $50 million for Metropolitan State University of Denver to expand its health institute and $19.4 million for Trinidad State College to renovate the main building at its Valley Campus.

The osteopathic medical school’s first class of students is anticipated to enroll in 2026.

Feinstein said Friday the university wants to raise an additional $20 million for student scholarships, with a large intent for the money to assist students from Colorado and Weld County who want to attend the college.

In October, The Weld Trust gifted UNC $25 million for the medical college. The gift is the largest in university history and will go into two financial buckets: one for the construction budget and the other for start-up and operating costs.

UNC also previously received $5 million for the college from the Arlo Richardson family of Richmark Companies.

“It’s about building the facility and hiring faculty and staff and administrators,” Feinstein said. “For the next two years, there will be a lot of heavy lifting on this campus to make sure the project is successful.”

Dr. Brian Davidson, a 1999 UNC graduate and medical doctor, was an early advocate in the university’s effort to develop the osteopathic college. He was particularly active early in the process when UNC was trying to gain state approval for its plan for the college.

Davidson said Friday afternoon he continues to follow and support the college’s development.

“For UNC specifically, it’s not only going to help Colorado and the region, it’s going to help elevate the stature and prominence of UNC, and as an alumni, I’m proud of that,” he said.

There are two tracks of medical training for doctors to pursue in the U.S.: as a medical doctor (MD) and as a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO). Both schools are four years long, followed by internships and up to seven years of residency training.

The UNC college will be third medical school in Colorado, the second osteopathic school and second public medical school. The others are the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker.

CU Anschutz is a public medical school and grants medical doctor degrees. Rocky Vista is private and grants doctor of osteopathy degrees.

Medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy both learn to diagnose, treat and prevent disease and injury. Doctors of osteopathy also learn osteopathic manual medicine, which is a hands-on form of treatment for students studying osteopathic medicine.

Davidson went to medical school at CU and is an anesthesiologist by training. He is a market medical executive with Cigna Healthcare in the Mountain and Pacific Northwest region. Davidson was previously a physician executive of Banner Health’s Western Division.

“I think it’s a huge opportunity for UNC and the other institutions that are a part of this,” Davidson said. “Health care professions are in high demand and short supply, and this is one of many answers.

The Association of American Medical Colleges has estimated there will be between 37,800 and 124,000 fewer physicians in the U.S. by 2034.