The medical university was begun by Leonard Caccamo, who became its first chairman of the Board of Trustees. As medical director of St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio, he began the planning for the university. He was assisted by Harry Meshel, then majority leader of the Ohio Senate. With the assistance of Lyle Williams, Congressman for the Ohio 17th district, a feasibility study was begun in concert with the Youngstown Hospital Association to address a regional need for primary care physicians and use existing facilities at the state universities and hospitals in the area. Based on that initial study a three-city consortium of Akron, Canton, and Youngstown was developed with the University of Akron, Kent State University, and Youngstown State University. Cleveland State University was added in 2008.