Construction is on track for the University at Buffalo's brand new medical school in downtown Buffalo. An update was provided by UB officials Thursday. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley tells us the future Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will engage students and the community.
“Some of you may not realize that the medical school originated in downtown Buffalo,” noted UB’s Suzanne Laychock in her opening presentation.
Laychock is Senior Associate Dean for Facilities and Faculty Affairs. The new medical school at Main & High Streets will create a new campus integrating medical students into one, progressive facility. The current medical school on UB's South campus off Bailey Avenue is considered 'research rich', but 'clinical care poor'. Laychock said the new site will change all of that.
Laychock addressed how the new facility will build on the theme of collaboration. “One of the things we want to emphasize is how, in the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus, all of our UB buildings, as well as Roswell Park, are going to be in the Kaleida facilities, are going to be integrated and really reinforce collaboration amongst our faculty and trainees,” she stated.
The new school will provide high-tech, digital learning for medical students. Andrew Koenig is the Assistant Dean for Projects and Planning. He said it will include a full operating room for med students.
"A fully operational operating room with about 18 tables in it so they will be able to truly learn how to do surgery,” Koenig shared.
The new medical school is expected to 'bridge the gap' that currently isolates the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus from the Fruit Belt and Allentown Communities.
“The awareness of quality medical care for the people in the community, that they can rely on UBMD for quality care and not have to go elsewhere—not have to go out to the suburbs to get really good care, that it will all be present in the community” said Laychock.
The new campus will stretch over a 620,000 square foot building on eight-floors. The design is reflective of the mission of the medical school. UB leaders have worked to increase enrollment from 140 to 180-students a year. It's slated to open in about a year from now.