A new chapter in the University of Tennessee Health Sciences' history is underway, with the Oct. 8 groundbreaking of a new building that will fill a crucial need for more medical professionals in Tennessee.
The College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building
will be constructed at 901 Madison Ave. at the heart of the UTHSC campus in Memphis. Construction begins this fall, with completion expected sometime in 2029.Prior to the groundbreaking ceremony, in a tent on the site full of hundreds of alumni, students, donors, politicians and professors, University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd explained the significance of the new building for the entire state.
"We've got a lot to be proud of in Tennessee... the one thing, though, unfortunately, that we can't brag about is our public health all across the state," Boyd said. "UTHSC provides 40% of all of our doctors and 70% of all our dentists and so many others. If we want to make a difference in the health of our state, it has to come through here."
With a $311 million state appropriation for the $350 million project, it's the largest-ever state-funded capital investment in Tennessee higher education.
The result of that massive investment? The College of Medicine's class size is expected to grow from 175 to 250 students per cohort — the Physician Assistant Program's enrollment will double from 30 to 60 students per year, and approximately 1,450 additional health professionals will be educated across various fields during the first five years.
Ophelia Pilkinton, president of the Medical Student Executive Council, said the new facility represents the health of thousands of future patients cared for by future graduates.
"That is what we are breaking ground for today — not simply a modern structure, not simply better classrooms or better simulation spaces," Pilkinton said. "We are investing in where our future physicians will prepare to take care of patients and communities who will depend on them, and as a medical student, I cannot think of a more meaningful legacy or a greater responsibility."
Renderings of the new building show a welcoming, modern space for future medical professionals to spend time studying and socializing. The sprawling 300,000-square-foot, five-story education center will host multiple interdisciplinary commons areas and student gathering spaces, wellness and study rooms, an event terrace, sky cloister and even a rooftop greenspace.
That's not to mention the more than 50,000 square feet of space dedicated to state-of-the-art teaching resources, such as a "digital health and innovation space," interdisciplinary specialty simulation areas, a health incubator and technology innovation lab.
During the ceremony, the UTHSC alumni association also honored Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, a UT graduate, with its first Champion of Service Award. McNally played a key role in the development of the new building from its inception, thanks to what UTHSC Chancellor Peter Buckley described as his "profound interest and appreciation for the importance of health care in Tennessee."
The project is an effort to meet the projected growing demands on Tennessee's health care system. According to project lead and Chief Operating Officer Raaj Kurapati, there will be a need for 6,000 additional physicians in the state by 2030, and demand for interdisciplinary roles like nurse anesthetists and physician assistants will grow by 40% and 28%, respectively.
The new building is a direct effort to make sure that need doesn't go unanswered.
"We're expanding our capacity to carry [our] mission into its next century with purpose, scale and urgency," UTHSC Executive Dean Michael Hocker said. "This investment couldn't have come at a better time for Tennessee. Facing us is a workforce shortage in all of our health specialties. That's not a future problem. It's a fast-approaching reality that will touch every county in the state, whether someone can find a doctor, how long they wait to be seen, and how far they have to travel to see a provider. We have a responsibility to train the next generation of physicians... This new College of Medicine interdisciplinary building gives us the capacity to do that."
Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal covering Dining, Retail and Real Estate in the Memphis area. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: UTHSC expansion aims to grow Tennessee's health care workforce
