University of Nebraska Medical Center Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., and members of his leadership team, including deans and directors will visit five southeastern Nebraska communities Aug. 11-12. The UNMC delegation will meet with leaders of area health facilities, as well as local business and community members.
The five communities highlighted during the outstate visit include: Bellevue, Auburn, Peru, Lincoln and Beatrice. The goal is to learn of the opportunities and concerns facing these communities and share the latest news on initiatives at UNMC.
“Reaching out across the state to hear what Nebraska citizens are concerned about regarding the education of their children in the health professions and their own health care needs enlightens and invigorates us, as we continue to strive to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities across the state,” Dr. Gold said.
Accompanying Dr. Gold are: Bob Bartee, vice chancellor for external affairs, Brad Britigan, M.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine; Dele Davies, M.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs; Ali Khan, M.D., M.P.H., dean of the UNMC College of Public Health; Kyle Meyer, Ph.D., dean of the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions; Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute; Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center; Janet Guthmiller, D.D.S., Ph.D., dean of the UNMC College of Dentistry; and Julie Sebastian, Ph.D., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing.
One of UNMC’s key goals is recruiting and educating students from rural Nebraska in hopes they will practice in rural areas. The new Health Science Education Complex in Kearney opened last year and is advancing UNMC’s efforts toward meeting this goal. In addition, the Rural Health Opportunities Program was recently expanded at Peru State College to include more allied health professions.
"These are students, who are receiving a world-class education, who will fill shortages across the state," Dr. Gold said.
UNMC’s student enrollment has continued to grow. In the 2015-16 school year, UNMC had a record enrollment for the 15th straight year with 3,790 students enrolled, an increase of 94 students, or 2.5 percent, from the previous year.
Thanks to private donors and state support, five state-of-the-art facilities are either being planned or nearing completion and will support the medical center’s missions of education, research and patient care. Three are educational facilities.
They are:
- The $102 million Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning, referred to as (iEXCEL℠), features advanced simulation clinical settings and virtual immersive reality technology. It will transform health science education through competency-based learning and assessment. Though located in Omaha, an electronic learning media development studio will deliver learning content to remote locations. Funds are still being raised for the building with groundbreaking anticipated for 2017.
- The $35 million, 85,000-square-foot UNMC Center for Drug Discovery and Lozier Center for Pharmacy Sciences and Education. It will officially open on Aug. 23.
- The $41.5 million, 100,000-square-foot facility near 19th and S streets in Lincoln, which will be shared by the College of Nursing Lincoln Division and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln University Health Center. It will replace outdated space for each entity. Groundbreaking plans are in the works.
Other projects soon to be completed are the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center (spring/summer 2017), and the Lauritzen Outpatient Center & Fritch Surgery Center (fall 2016).
We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.