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June 26 2024
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Vol. XXVI • No. 13
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The $200 million, 250,000-sq.-ft. facility is considered a critical addition to USA’s hub that’s dedicated to healthcare education.
By Cindy Riley
Expected to be completed in 2026, the new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building on the University of South Alabama (USA) campus will allow the school to graduate more physicians and accelerate research. The $200 million, 250,000-sq.-ft. facility is considered a critical addition to USA’s hub that’s dedicated to healthcare education. “This is an investment in the future of healthcare to meet the needs of Alabamians,” said Dr. John Marymont, dean of the Whiddon College of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs. “By national metrics, this medical school produces high-quality physicians that stay in the state, helping meet the needs in primary care, as well as in rural and underserved areas at an affordable cost.” The new building also will allow for expanding the class size of first-year medical students from 80 to 100. It also will have the capability of increasing to 120 at a time when the country is facing a likely shortage of healthcare providers. The city of Mobile is donating $10 million to support the project, along with Mobile County’s $5 million pledge. The university has set an additional $30 million philanthropic goal to help fund the project. According to Buckley Kelley, USA’s chief facilities management officer, the size of the project calls for hundreds of skilled tradespeople to be on site during the day, with thousands needed over the course of construction. Being able to properly staff the project requires hiring firms with a large geographical footprint and labor pool. “This is one of the largest, most sophisticated commercial buildings ever built in the city of Mobile,” Kelley said. “With the construction market booming across the country, we were concerned about getting enough subcontractor interest to ensure we received competitive pricing. While construction has a long way to go, there’s already a good deal of exciteCEG CORRESPONDENT
see USA page 6
ment surrounding the new structure and the day-to-day activities.