Health Beat - Summer 2017 - 14

IN THE COMMUNITY

Construction is underway to create
a new Salina campus for the KU School
of Medicine. This image depicts signage
planned for the facility.

Rural Health Campaign
Exceeds $7M Funding Goal

Successful campaign funds health education,
better access to care in rural Kansas By John Berggren

ontributions to the Blueprint for Rural Health campaign have helped establish a new home for the
University of Kansas School of Medicine in downtown Salina by exceeding a $7,563,000 goal.
The fundraising includes a $2 million lead gift from the
Dane G. Hansen Foundation in Logan.
"It's unbelievable how the community has embraced our
program since inception, and now in this new endeavor," says
William Cathcart-Rake, dean of the KU School of Medicine-
Salina. "We couldn't be more grateful for all the support we've
received, and we couldn't be more excited to see what this
new campus will mean for the school and its students. We
look forward to finding ways we can expand our services to
advance medical education in the state."
New construction is underway at 138 N. Santa Fe Ave.
The facility is scheduled to open in June 2018, welcoming
the incoming class of 2022. The building, which was a former
bank in downtown Salina, went through interior demolition
last winter.
"Salina Regional Health Center, the medical community
and the KU Endowment Association have all played an
important role, as have many businesses, organizations,
foundations and individuals in our regional community, to
make this campaign a success," says Tom Martin, Salina

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Regional Health Foundation executive director. "However,
it is important to note that we continue to encourage
donations to the campaign. The goal was based on original building project estimates, and it's quite possible that
actual expenses could exceed estimates."
The new facility will provide more than 40,000 square feet
of space, which more than doubles the current campus space
on Salina Regional Health Center's hospital campus. The
extra space is needed to address curriculum changes that go
into effect this year. These changes require small-group work
areas, classrooms and lab space. The additional space could
also accommodate larger class sizes, which are currently
capped at eight students per year.
The KU-Salina campus opened its doors for its first class
of students in July 2011 with the mission of providing a
quality education in a rural setting. The school hopes graduates will one day enter practice in rural Kansas. The vision
is an effort to address physician shortages in rural Kansas.
Ninety-seven of the 105 counties in the state are considered
medically underserved. In 2013, 34 counties reported having
at most two primary care physicians.
Of the first 16 students to graduate from the KU-Salina
program, 11 have entered primary care residencies. Most plan
to practice in Kansas once training is complete. 1

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Health Beat - Summer 2017