Meeting the need for medical personnel

UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences expands to train more future health care workers

BY KRIS BEVILL

In late 2013, the University of North Dakota began building a new medical school in Grand Forks, N.D., to meet the growing need for medical personnel throughout the region. At more than 325,000 square feet, the larger facility will allow the university’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences to increase its medical school enrollment by 62 students and its health sciences enrollment by 90 students. Post-graduate residency enrollment will also be expanded by a total of 51 residents. Estimated to cost nearly $124 million, the project is being funded through the state of North Dakota and should be complete in mid-2016.

JLG Architects, Los Angeles-based Steinberg Architects and Minneapolis-based Perkins + Will designed the building, which will feature a number of aspects that allow students, researchers and faculty to more frequently connect and collaborate, according to Randy Ekren, chair of the building committee and associate dean for administration and finance at UND’s medical school. So-called “Main Streets” on each of the four floors will be flanked by classrooms and lounge spaces, which will lead to collaborative spaces and group study rooms as well as private study stations. A grand staircase will not only offer a dramatic first impression at the school’s entrance but will serve as the school’s “social heart” by encouraging impromptu interdisciplinary collaborations and moments of informal learning, according to Eken.

In warm weather months, students will have additional opportunities to interact and collaborate at several outdoor patios as well as an amphitheater, which will provide a large gathering space as well as outlets for smaller groups to work and study.

The research wing has been designed to be as integrated with the main body of the building as possible, which Ekren says highlights the smooth transition of education to practice as well as the integral nature of lifelong learning and collaboration across boundaries in science. Collaboration will be emphasized here, too, with an open lab area for researchers to work together on related topics, a centralized equipment corridor and labs designed for easy customization and modifications as needs jlgarchitects.com jlgarchitects.com