More than 650 physicians have been educated through IUSM-NW since the medical school’s inception in 1972. Patrick Bankston, Ph.D., associate dean and director of IU School of Medicine-Northwest and dean of the College of Health and Human Services at IU Northwest, said the medical school is positioned to continue its growth.
With the medical school’s recent $1 million renovation of its educational facilities, IUSM-NW is now able to accommodate the enrollment growth that is expected to accompany the center’s recent expansion to a four-year program. Each class is expected to increase by 88 percent to a maximum of 32 students. This expansion would make the Northwest campus the third largest medical school class in Indiana outside of the primary campus in Indianapolis.
The IUSM-NW renovation produced a state-of-the-art learning environment complete with two reconfigured classrooms that each can accommodate 50 students, and which can be merged into one classroom. Three 80-inch television monitors are mounted in each classroom, providing students with almost life-sized images.
Additional renovations include increases in the number of study rooms from 10 to 14, and in the number of group learning rooms from six to eight.
At a celebratory ribbon-cutting event hosted at IUSM-NW in October, donors who made the renovation possible enjoyed a firsthand look at how the school’s vision has become a reality.
“Healthcare remains the most vital and stable sector of Northwest Indiana’s economy,” Dr. Bankston said. “And the educational experience provided at IU School of Medicine – Northwest is second to none. The future of patient care in our region is dependent upon our ability to attract and educate enough of tomorrow’s physicians and health care providers today.
“Statistics show that a majority of doctors tend to stay in the area where they are educated and trained. In a broad sense, our generous donors are helping to improve the health and vitality of the region.”
For more information, a student profile and an IUSM-Northwest timeline, see IUSM-Northwest Celebration.