
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine opened in 2018 as a medical school in Nutley, New Jersey. It was developed by Hackensack Meridian Health in partnership with Seton Hall University and initially operated under the name Seton Hall-Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. It subsequently became Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, a distinct institution.
The school occupies part of the former Hoffmann-La Roche research campus, which was redeveloped for health-sciences education. Its history matters to applicants because it is a relatively young medical school: rather than inheriting a long-established undergraduate campus, it was built around a medical curriculum connected to Hackensack Meridian Health's clinical network.
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine is a specialized medical school, not a university with a broad selection of undergraduate colleges and majors. Its principal degree is the Doctor of Medicine (MD), taught through foundational science, clinical education and community-based learning.
Students learn from medical educators, researchers and practicing clinicians across the school and Hackensack Meridian Health. Clinical training extends beyond Nutley to health-system sites in New Jersey. Applicants comparing programs should examine how the school schedules its classroom, community and clinical experiences, as well as the requirements of any individualized or accelerated pathway offered in their entering year.
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine is in Nutley, New Jersey, on a health-sciences campus developed from the former Hoffmann-La Roche site near the Clifton border. Nutley is a suburban community in the New York metropolitan area.
The location provides access to clinical sites across northern and central New Jersey, but those placements are not all on the Nutley campus. Prospective students should account for travel between teaching sites when considering transportation and housing. Regional rail and bus services connect parts of the surrounding area with Newark and New York City, though the usefulness of a particular route depends on a student's home address and assigned clinical site.
The school's stated educational purpose centers on training physicians who can address patients' medical needs in the context of their families and communities. Its curriculum emphasizes teamwork, service and the social and environmental circumstances that affect health.
A distinctive expression of that approach is its community-immersion work, which asks students to engage with communities beyond a conventional classroom or hospital encounter. These are the school's stated priorities, not evidence that every graduate will practice in a particular specialty or location.
Name of the institution
Hackensack Meridian School of MedicineLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
Suburb: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, graduate with no undergraduate degreesInstitution size category
Under 1,000Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.