The University of Nebraska Board of Regents today approved the completion of construction of the Center for Health Science Education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
The Center for Health Science Education will be located on the northeast corner of the intersection of 42nd and Emile streets at the former site of the Computing Services building. The facility will be 134,183 gross square feet, stand four stories high and will cost $52.7 million. Formal groundbreaking ceremonies will be held in the spring. No state tax dollars will be used in the construction of this facility.
“This building and the education that will take place there represents a huge step forward toward achieving our vision to be a world-class academic health sciences center,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “It will provide a state-of-the-art environment for medical education featuring the latest, most innovative technology throughout the building. It will help take UNMC’s preeminent education programs to the next level.
“In addition, it will be the new home for the College of Medicine and serve as the educational heart of the campus, providing a new gateway to the UNMC campus. Ultimately, Nebraskans will be the beneficiaries, as most of our health professions graduates remain in the state to care for our residents,” he said.
The Center for Health Science Education will be the first education building to be constructed on campus in more than 30 years, said John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. “It will enable us to bring together in one building the education components that have been scattered across the campus and to deliver an outstanding 21st century experience to our students. This project is generating tremendous excitement among UNMC faculty, staff, students, alumni, area health professionals and community leaders.”
For UNMC students, the building will provide an environment emphasizing interdisciplinary education that will better prepare them for their career as a health professional.
“To be a successful health care provider in the 21st century, we need to have experience working in interdisciplinary teams,” said Dan Connealy, third-year medical student and UNMC Student Regent. “In addition to formal interdisciplinary training, the many beautiful areas for interaction in the center will make it the hub for all educational activities on campus. It will facilitate team building and also provide important opportunities for faculty/student mentoring, which are vital for a superior medical education.”
Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor for business and finance at UNMC, said Friday’s vote by the regents is critical. He said, “Getting this approval will help us do three things while we complete the fundraising for the project: Maintain our construction schedule to ensure that the new facility is open and available for the start of the 2008 fall semester; stay on budget; and position us for a favorable interest rate when the project is bonded.
“Staying on schedule will be challenging, but our ability to complete the site leveling and the construction of foundation pilings before the spring rains is a tremendous help,” Leuenberger said. He expects this phase of the project to be completed by the end of March. “We appreciate that the president and regents have worked with us to keep this project on schedule,” he said.
With the approval received on Friday, the next phase of construction can move forward.
Completing The Center for Health Science Education is central to UNMC’s vision of preparing the best-educated health professionals and scientists. It is a goal that he has championed since he came to UNMC in 1993.
“We have ensured our clinical excellence through the merger that formed The Nebraska Medical Center and the recent completion of a state-of-the-art addition to the hospital,” Dr. Maurer said.
“With the construction of the Durham Research Center and our emphasis on research, that enterprise is growing at an unprecedented rate, surpassing our initial goals and further elevating us at the national level. Our focus now is on taking our stellar educational programs to the next level. The Center for Health Science Education is a key component of the plan and will provide the educational environment and technologies that truly elevate the learning experience.
Dean Gollan said that the sweeping changes that have occurred in medical education make this new space a necessity.
“UNMC has been a leader in developing the new medical curricula,” he said. “Our students have continued to excel nationally, achieving pass rates on national board exams that are among the highest in the nation. At the same time, we have struggled to adapt outdated classrooms and laboratories to accommodate new philosophies and technologies.”
Dr. Gollan said the Center for Health Science Education will provide the best in simulation technology and inter-disciplinary education.
It will replace obsolete and insufficient facilities with a facility that features:
· the latest technology, including wireless connections throughout
· smart classrooms featuring the latest in interactive technology;
· a clinical skills center where students can learn communications skills and practice clinical decision-making in a safe, simulated environment;
· an innovative technology and teaching laboratories equipped for virtual microscopy and a flexible design that enables students to interact with the latest most advanced technology;
· small group instruction rooms that support that problem-based learning;
· small and large amphitheaters;
· a large interactive space featuring student lounges, study areas and other student oriented amenities;
· a campus events center that will offer a venue for campus events and program, provide a setting for lifelong learning so critical for today’s health professionals, community outreach programs and alumni events.
· a beautifully landscaped green space around the facility where student and campus interactions can take place.
Having a state-of-the-art space for education will enable us to be even more competitive in recruiting top medical students, faculty and staff, Dr. Gollan said. “We want to do our best to continue to attract our top Nebraskans. This new facility will be one more reason to come to UNMC.”
Most importantly, Gollan believes the facility will enable UNMC to maintain its reputation for excellence and, further, to give its educational programs the boost that will take them to the next level.
HDR Architecture Inc. of Omaha and RDG Planning and Design Architects of Des Moines are providing design services for the construction of the Center of Health Science Education.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through its commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology, ophthalmology and arthritis. UNMC’s research funding from external sources is now more than $72 million annually and has resulted in the creation of nearly 2,400 highly skilled jobs in the state.