by Amy Vaerewyck
It’s a brand-new year at the Anschutz Medical Campus, and there are some brand-new places, faces and happenings to go with it. We’ve got a lot to talk about and be proud of at CU Anschutz this semester—from a center devoted exclusively to clinical ethics issues to an additional cancer center wing to a dean freshly arrived from Nebraska.
Read on to find out all about it.
NEW: Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanities
At the north end of Boettcher Commons, there’s a new space devoted to the study of pressing moral health care issues: the
Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanities.
Named for Vincent A. Fulginiti, MD, chancellor emeritus for CU Anschutz, the $8 million building was specifically designed for reflection, inspiration and deliberation about the discoveries that occur every day at CU Anschutz and on other health sciences campus.
Faculty and staff at the
Center for Bioethics and Humanities, which is housed in the pavilion, attest that, just like laboratories are needed for the work of scientists, specialized space is needed for addressing the ethical issues that are arising in health care today.
“Bioethics is, by its nature, interdisciplinary and interprofessional, and the new facility will help provide a bridge between the precision of science and the complexity of patients’ lives,” said Jacqueline J. Glover, PhD, director of the Center’s Clinical Ethics Program. “We impact patient care by elevating regard for the human aspects of healing among our students and practicing professionals.”
With its 1,000-square-foot art gallery, grand piano in the lobby and comfortable seating areas, the pavilion, which was
dedicated in a ceremony on August 27 and opened on September 7, is also expected to prompt reflection and inspiration. The Gossard Forum, a 142-seat, in-the-round auditorium, was designed to foster a feeling of equality among participants and to encourage active discussion.
EXPANDED: Interprofessional Education Program
The lower level of the Fulginiti Pavilion will house the recently revised Interprofessional Education (IPE) program. Starting this fall,
IPE is expanding to be a two-year, campus-wide program, engaging all first-year medical students in team-based learning with students from other schools and colleges.
“We have aimed to create a program that is systemic,” said
Mark Earnest, MD, PhD, director of the REACH IPE program. “Most other places that have IPE have a single experience for the students. We are striving to have a program that touches students from the day they walk on campus until the day they graduate.”
IPE is based on the premise that two heads are better than one; when working together and communicating openly, health care professionals from all the different specialties can provide better care for patients than when working alone.
“IPE encourages a diverse group of student medical professionals to begin their journey of solving problems together,” said Megan Dushane, a Doctor of Physical Therapy student. “Because of this, I think it will help me become a physical therapist who is more comfortable working with other professionals, ready to break down any hierarchy and communication barriers.”
The expansion—which will bring the program to nearly 1,400 students this year—is made possible through nearly $2 million in grants.
“I believe our IPE program is the most comprehensive in its scope and reach in the U.S., if not the world,” Earnest said.
NEW: College of Nursing Dean
So far, Thompson’s favorite thing about the Anschutz Medical Campus is the people, who she said have been very friendly and welcoming.
“My first priority is to get to know the faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners,” she said. “I want to understand their vision, hopes, and desires for the College of Nursing.”
With a certificate in gerontology, Thompson is well-equipped to usher in the transition of the Adult Nurse Practitioner program into the
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner program this fall. Facilitated by a grant, the new program will give nurse practitioner students the certifications and skills they need to care for the aging baby boomer population.
With a love for hiking, cycling and snowshoeing, Thompson is excited to be living in Colorado near the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
UPDATED: Master Plan for Campus
The Anschutz Medical Campus has come a long way since the beginning of its conversion from the Fitzsimons Army Medical Base in 2004. It is changing the health care landscape in our community. In order to manage the campus’s new growth, ongoing improvement and future development, students, faculty and staff are coming together in a
Master Plan process.
During three days of
workshops in August, participants discussed the “physical planning” of the campus. With help from a consultant team, they examined the critical issues of the campus and—given the campus development goals—looked for answers to questions like these:
- Where should we construct new buildings, and how densely should they be positioned?
- What are our sacred spaces on campus, and how can we preserve them?
- How can we encourage interaction and gatherings through design?
- What takes priority on our campus: cars or pedestrians?
- Are we able to get where we need to go on campus?
- How will the light rail station coming to campus by 2015 change us?
- How can we encourage more bike usage—through bike lanes, racks, storage?
- Does every driver on campus deserve a guaranteed parking spot?
- Where should way-finding signage go, and what should it say?
“There are many questions to answer and possibilities to explore,” said Lilly Marks, vice president for health affairs and executive vice chancellor for the Anschutz Medical Campus. “We are committed to continued development of this campus so that it may fulfill its mission of providing the best in health care and improving lives within our communities.”
NEW: Cancer Center Wing
New facilities include:
- Exam rooms
- Treatment rooms
- Infusion bays and private infusion rooms
- Radiation treatment vault with a linear accelerator—which improves the ability to locate and destroy tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue
“The CU Cancer Center is an invaluable resource for cancer patients and their families in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region,” said
Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, director of the CU Cancer Center, in a
story on the UCH website.
For the fourth time, the CU Cancer Center has been named a “Comprehensive Cancer Center” by the National Cancer Institute—the only Center in Colorado to receive this designation.