Wichita Biomedical Campus rising as a new force in Kansas health care
President Rick Muma
If you’ve driven past Broadway and William in downtown Wichita lately, you’ve seen the skyline begin to change. Steel beams rise where soil and foundation work are prepared — tangible proof of the progress we’re making on the Wichita Biomedical Campus.
This project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape how we deliver health care education, research and workforce training in Kansas. Together with the University of Kansas, we’re building a collaborative space that brings together a community of health care researchers and educators under one roof to provide students with the highest quality and most immersive learning environment, one that mirrors real-world clinical settings and prepares graduates to meet the evolving needs of Kansas communities.
With Phase I expected to open in 2027, the campus will serve as a hub for hands-on learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and community-focused health care solutions.
With programs in nursing, health sciences and biomedical research, the Wichita Biomedical Campus is designed to meet urgent health care needs across the state while anchoring economic and civic growth in downtown Wichita.
The demand for a stronger health care workforce has never been more pressing. Kansas faces shortages across nearly every health profession, especially in rural and underserved communities. That’s why we’ve also made it a priority to establish the state’s first dental school as the second phase of the Biomedical Campus. The need is clear: Kansas ranks near the bottom nationally in dental care availability, and large parts of our state are considered dental deserts.
While the governor recently vetoed a funding request for a feasibility and program design study for the dental school, we are not letting that stand in the way. Wichita State is moving forward with the study because we believe so strongly in the need for expanded oral health services and associated workforce development in Kansas. The cost of continued inaction is far greater, especially for the communities already facing barriers to dental care.
The Wichita Biomedical Campus is a bold example of what’s possible when partners come together with a shared vision and a sense of urgency. And it’s a direct result of our relentless focus on our priorities: expanding access to education, growing the Kansas workforce and improving the quality of life for all Kansans.
By creating new opportunities for students and closing critical workforce gaps, the Wichita Biomedical Campus will drive the innovation that will shape the future of health care in Kansas.
Go Shockers!
Dr. Rick Muma
President of Wichita State University