Wichita State, University of Kansas propose health sciences education center in Wichita  

As community leaders plan for the growth and economic prosperity of our state, Wichita State University and the University of Kansas are bolstering those efforts through an initiative to build a joint health sciences education center — tentatively called the Wichita Biomedical Campus — in Wichita. 

This health sciences complex is intended to centralize health care education, collaboration and research from each institution — including programs in medicine, nursing, physician assistant, pharmacy, physical therapy, communications sciences and disorders, medical laboratory sciences, athletic training, public health sciences, surgical technology, and short-term health. Students would receive state-of-the-art health care education that will ultimately improve the quality of health and health outcomes for all Kansans.

What are the objectives of a collaborative health sciences education building?

  • Improve efficiencies, strengthen collaboration, and support interprofessional health care learning.
  • Fuel the talent pipeline with highly trained health care professionals who will help meet community and employer needs.
  • Meet community needs through improved patient outcomes.
  • Take advantage of the digitalization of health care and health care education.
  • Diversify and support the prosperity of the Kansas economy through innovation and research.

While the proposed facility will surely be a boon for WSU, KU and their students, it’s a tremendous economic opportunity for our region as well. Any city that’s growing or wants to grow, needs this type of facility at its core — a place that builds an interprofessional community around health care students, faculty and researchers that will nurture and grow a highly trained and proficient health care workforce to serve patients throughout our region and support the prosperity of our state. 

Benefits of a health sciences education center in Wichita: 

  • A large joint health sciences center in a metropolitan area near private hospitals and health care providers will provide opportunities for partnerships in new and emerging research fields.
  • Wichita State, WSU Tech and KU have several strong health science academic programs with proven track records for success. Pooling the collective resources and successes of our institutions on one campus will bring about remarkable opportunities for collaboration, innovation and research.
  • Initially, roughly 3,000 students and 200 faculty and staff will be housed at the center with opportunities for growth in existing and new programs.
  • Prioritizing health care education in Wichita will send a message to our community and our businesses that we care about our community’s health and are willing to invest in it. More investment in health care means more people will be attracted to and stay in Wichita.
  • Mental health is paramount to our community, and the HSEC will be key to addressing the demand for counselors and therapists in the region.
  • The approximately 470,000-square-foot facility will house shared spaces for advanced laboratories, clinical research and technology. The high-tech facility will draw students, educators and researchers from around the country — attracting talent and resources to the Wichita area and boosting the economic success of Kansas.

We hope you’ll support Wichita State and the University of Kansas on this journey to establish a joint health sciences facility as a vehicle to promote interprofessional health education, improve patient care and strengthen the future of the city of Wichita.  

The information on this page is accurate as of September 6, 2022.  Comment on this topic.