Some communities grow around what is already there. Lake Nona was built around what’s possible. One of the clearest expressions of that vision is Lake Nona Medical City, where health care is more than a service close to home. It is part of the community’s foundation.
Lake Nona Medical City is a health and life sciences district where leading hospitals, academic institutions, researchers and health care innovators work in close proximity, advancing care, discovery and the next generation of medical talent.
Its impact reaches well beyond the district itself.
For people considering where to live in Orlando, Medical City brings access to specialized care, meaningful career opportunities and a community shaped around health, well-being and what comes next.
From pediatric and veteran care to medical education, research and emerging technologies, Lake Nona Medical City is a place where the institutions improving lives are connected to the people and communities they serve.
Here is a closer look at the institutions, ideas and everyday advantages that make Medical City one of Lake Nona’s defining advantages.
What (and Where) Is Medical City?
Lake Nona Medical City spans 650 acres within Lake Nona’s 17-square-mile community. It’s part of a long-term vision built around education, technology, health and well-being, mobility and culture, rather than a conventional real estate or hospital development.
Strategically located within Lake Nona, Medical City is close to Orlando International Airport and connected to the community’s surrounding residential, commercial and educational areas.
Beyond its hospitals, classrooms and research facilities, Medical City is woven into Lake Nona’s broader connected environment — linking more than 12 neighborhoods with schools, workplaces and approximately five million square feet of commercial and retail space that support the rhythms of everyday life.
The impetus behind Medical City wasn’t a nickname coined after the fact. It was intentionally designed as a place where leading health care providers, researchers and educators could come together, collaborate and grow as an ecosystem.
Medical City’s story began in 2005, when Tavistock Group donated 50 acres and $12.5 million to help establish the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. The medical school welcomed its first students in 2009, laying the foundation for the innovation district that continues to grow today.
As development progressed and additional institutions followed, guided by Tavistock’s leadership, each organization was drawn by a shared vision to build something bigger together.
In perspective: When the UCF College of Medicine broke ground in 2007, the site was mostly pasture. The road network that now carries residents and patients into Medical City — including the State Road 417 interchange at Lake Nona Boulevard — was still being built. The district wasn’t retrofitted into an existing community; it was built from the ground up.
Hospitals, Health Care Providers and Key Institutions
The following institutions make up the core of Medical City. They give residents convenient access to exceptional health care while attracting employers, health care professionals, researchers and investment.
The UCF College of Medicine was more than one of the first major institutions to arrive at Medical City. It helped establish the ecosystem that followed. This pioneering spirit continues today through an approach that educates doctors and scientists to rethink how research and technology can solve some of the biggest problems in health care. The campus includes the UCF College of Medicine, the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and space for future health sciences programs.
UCF Health’s Lake Nona location provides both primary and specialty care through physicians affiliated with the UCF College of Medicine. Primary care includes family medicine, internal medicine and geriatrics, lifestyle medicine and general surgery while specialty services include audiology, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, ophthalmology, rheumatology and nephrology. UCF Health’s location in Medical City brings academic medicine directly into the community, giving Lake Nona residents access to physicians who also teach and train the next generation of health care providers.
Nemours Children’s Health has helped shape Lake Nona into a nationally recognized destination for pediatric care, research and medical innovation. Part of Lake Nona’s vision has been recognizing time as a valuable commodity. As one of only four specialty children’s hospitals in Orlando, Nemours gives Lake Nona families access to pediatric specialists without requiring a trip across the region. For parents balancing work, school and family life, that proximity can make routine visits, follow-ups and ongoing care easier to manage.
Nemours is also advancing new models of pediatric care, including Advanced Care at Home, the nation’s first pediatric advanced care at home program designed by a freestanding children’s hospital. The program combines virtual clinical support and 24/7 access to care, allowing eligible children to receive enhanced medical care and continue their recovery from the comfort of home.
For more than a decade, the Orlando VA healthcare System has provided premier care to more than 149,000 veterans across Central Florida from its flagship medical center in Lake Nona. Nationally recognized for programs such as Home-Based Primary Care and Caregiver Support, the VA combines leading-edge technology with compassionate, patient-centered care. Beyond health care, the medical center hosts hundreds of community events each year.
The Orlando VA Healthcare System has also helped house 730 homeless Veterans locally, the organization’s highest number in seven years. This marked the VA’s best national performance since it began tracking the number of individual Veterans permanently housed rather than the total number of permanent housing placements, providing a more accurate measure of the number of Veterans helped.
The UCF College of Nursing is helping prepare the next generation of health care professionals right here in Lake Nona. Its new Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion expands hands-on training through state-of-the-art simulation technology while increasing the number of nursing graduates to help address Florida’s growing workforce shortage. Because most graduates stay within Central Florida, the college strengthens the region’s health care system and helps ensure residents have access to highly trained caregivers for years to come.
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s Orlando campus offers a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy program at the UF Research and Academic Center at Lake Nona. Ranked No. 4 nationally and No. 1 in Florida by U.S. News & World Report, the college prepares students for careers in pharmacy through hands-on training with medical professionals. Orlando students work closely with faculty and staff to pursue their academic and professional goals in a setting dedicated to advancing pharmaceutical science and improving public health. The program can be completed entirely in the Central Florida area.
HCA Florida University Hospital has quickly become a trusted health care provider, welcoming more than 5,000 babies in its first five years while continuing to expand its specialized services. As HCA Healthcare’s first Innovation Hubs, the hospital is piloting AI-powered technologies and advancing cardiac and neurological care to improve patient outcomes. HCA expands access to leading-edge care close to home, backed by one of the nation’s largest health care networks.
Innovation, Research and Education
Beyond care providers, Medical City is home to some of the region’s most advanced research facilities. These organizations explore ideas that can quickly move from concept to real-world application, thanks to their proximity to leading-edge institutions just steps away.
The University of Florida Research and Academic Center is bringing the future of space-enabled medicine to Lake Nona through pioneering research in space biomanufacturing and C-STARS (Center for Science, Technology and Advanced Research in Space). By using microgravity as a platform for discovery, UF researchers are exploring new approaches to drug development, tissue engineering and treatments for conditions such as age-related muscle loss. This work reinforces Lake Nona’s role as a place where Florida’s legacy of space exploration converges with science and medicine to advance human health.
AdventHealth is expanding its presence in Lake Nona with novel treatment approaches and programs, including histotripsy, an incisionless treatment that uses focused sound waves to destroy tumors, and a high-volume robotic prostatectomy program led by a surgeon who has performed more than 20,000 procedures and treated patients from more than 50 countries. It’s another example of Medical City’s purposeful growth, as health care institutions expand their spectrum of services in lockstep with advances in research and technology, all in service of exceptional patient care.
While some organizations focus on discovery and others on application, the GuideWell Innovation Center brings both together by helping establish Lake Nona as a destination for health care entrepreneurship and collaboration for nearly a decade. Designed specifically for health care-focused startups, the center provides workspace, programming and networking that help emerging companies bring new ideas to life. GuideWell serves as an incubator for the next generation of health care solutions, developed alongside exceptional research institutions and patient care providers.
Opened in 2019, the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute Orlando Campus uses Design Thinking to advance the science of human performance. The result is a curriculum of immersive experiences where participants learn how to perform in the face of unrelenting stress while maintaining their health, well-being and sense of purpose. The institute’s programs currently serve employees and study participants, but its work adds an organizational and behavioral health perspective to Lake Nona’s broader approach to health, wellness and human performance.
The Proof Is in the Practice
When it comes to patient care, the proof is in the practice.
Medical City has been recognized for its commitment to quality across its many institutions. These accomplishments represent more than just awards; they reflect a collective pursuit of providing the best level of care and a commitment to continually improving how that care is delivered.
The practice of medicine is ongoing, because the pursuit of helping people live healthier lives never stops.
UCF Health Lake Nona has received an A grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog organization focused on patient safety. The recognition is one of several awards and distinctions UCF Lake Nona Hospital has received from state and industry groups for safety, quality of health care and patient experience since it opened in 2021.
The hospital has also achieved reaccreditation through the Metabolic and Bariatric Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program from the American College of Surgeons, earning a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery designation from Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Nemours Children’s Health has earned Magnet® with Distinction Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), becoming the only health system in Central Florida and just the third in Florida to receive the honor. The ANCC recognized Nemours for the excellence of its nursing and care teams, citing 16 examples across areas including patient experience, clinical quality, nurse satisfaction and its Advanced Care at Home program.
Nemours is one of four recipients of specialty grants from the state of Florida’s Cancer Connect Collaborative Research Incubator, receiving $7.5 million in renewable grant funding to develop and improve access to clinical trials, advance treatment protocols and discover cures for childhood cancer.
The Orlando VA Healthcare System has garnered distinctions across its clinical and educational programs, including Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and is also pursuing an Award of Distinction from the ANCC as part of its Pathway to Excellence® designation. Additionally, the VA’s commitment to care has been recognized through the National Physical Therapy Field Advisory Council Clinical Educator Visionary Award, presented to Dr. Maryrose “Maru” De Guzman for her work as a Physical Therapy SCCE/Residency Director.
Why Medical City Matters to Residents
Medical City’s impact extends beyond its hospitals, universities and research institutions.
For health care professionals, it offers the rare opportunity to live close to where they work. Less time commuting means more time with family, connecting with the wider community at local events and activities and building lasting relationships with neighbors, colleagues and the people they care for – helping them put down roots that extend beyond the workplace.
For anyone who calls Lake Nona home, Medical City brings the benefits of having some of the nation’s leading health care institutions right at their doorstep. It means greater access to specialized care and the confidence that as life changes, exceptional care for every stage will be there.
Lake Nona’s emphasis on wellbeing extends beyond health care facilities, with community parks and trails offering opportunities for residents to stay active and enjoy the outdoors.
Beyond these everyday benefits, the proximity of specialized talent and innovation creates opportunities for different disciplines to engage and intersect. When different points of view, from educators and physicians to patients, share the same space, it creates a true ecosystem of health care.
Put simply, Medical City’s presence contributes to Lake Nona’s appeal as a place to live, work and visit.
Why Medical City Makes Lake Nona Different
With Medical City contributing to Lake Nona’s growing influence in Orlando, the community brings together health care, education, research, technology and wellness in a way few communities can.
Beyond its health and life sciences district, Lake Nona offers places to dine, shop and gather, including the Lake Nona Town Center.
Together, these elements reflect a place designed not just for the needs of today, but with an eye toward what comes next. This intentional approach to growth helps ensure that world-class health care, career opportunities and a strong local economy continue to drive the region forward.
Because at the heart of every community are its people, and the best communities are built to help them thrive.
To discover available homes near Medical City, visit our Lake Nona neighborhoods page.
To learn more about health care in Lake Nona and Medical City, explore these frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Lake Nona Medical City?
A: Lake Nona Medical City is a 650-acre health and life sciences hub in Orlando, Florida. It currently features three fully operational hospitals providing specialized and general urgent and emergency care, with a fourth acute-care facility currently in development.
Q: What hospitals are located in Lake Nona Medical City?
A: Facilities include:
- HCA Florida UCF Lake Nona Hospital: Full-service adult acute care and emergency services.
- Nemours Children’s Hospital: Specialized pediatric medicine and a dedicated children’s emergency department.
- Orlando VA Medical Center: Comprehensive health care and emergency services for veterans.
- AdventHealth Lake Nona Hospital: An upcoming acute-care facility currently under construction.
Q: Is Lake Nona Medical City open to the public?
A: Yes. Lake Nona Medical City is open to the public. While it serves as a major life sciences and research hub, it also functions as a public health care district with several fully operational hospitals and clinical centers.
Q: Is Nemours Children’s Health located in Lake Nona?
A: Yes. Nemours Children’s Health is located in Lake Nona. The freestanding, 130-bed pediatric acute-care hospital is located within Orlando’s Lake Nona Medical City at 13535 Nemours Parkway.
Q: Does Lake Nona have emergency medical services?
A: Yes. Lake Nona offers comprehensive emergency care with multiple 24/7 facilities serving residents and the surrounding community. Options include:
- UCF Lake Nona Hospital
- AdventHealth Lake Nona ER
- Orlando VA Medical Center within Medical City
Q: What health care services are available in Lake Nona?
A: Lake Nona offers 24/7 emergency care, advanced acute and specialty medical care, pediatric services, veteran health care, and cutting-edge incisionless care.
Q: Why is Medical City located in Lake Nona?
A: Medical City was intentionally developed in Lake Nona because of the area’s available master-planned land, strategic location near Orlando International Airport and vision for creating a connected hub for health care, education and research.
Q: What is it like to live in Lake Nona as a health care professional?
A: Living in Lake Nona offers health care professionals the opportunity to be close to where they work while enjoying a community designed around wellness, connection and convenience.
