The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) celebrated a pivotal moment in its history with the ribbon cutting of its state-of-the-art School of Medicine Classroom Building and Biomedical Laboratory which comprise its Medical Research and Training Center in St. Thomas. The event which took place yesterday afternoon at the Orville E. Kean Campus signaled a transformative advancement in UVI’s vision to establish an accredited medical school in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Medical Research and Training Center will focus on pioneering medical research, education, and practice and will provide training in the use of advanced medical devices.
“Today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony underscores the collaborative efforts and steadfast support from stakeholders and philanthropists dedicated to advancing health care in the Virgin Islands,” said Dr. David Hall in his last official event as University President. “The journey towards having a medical school has been a long and winding road, with many challenges along the way, as well as numerous milestones of tremendous success. The opening of the School of Medicine Classroom Building and Biomedical Laboratory and Medical Research and Training Center marks a monumental step towards enhancing medical education and, ultimately, the health and wellbeing of Virgin Islanders.”
Generous support from the V.I. government and a grant of $34.6 million from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce made the project possible. The EDA investment supported the construction of the newly completed Medical Research and Training Center on St. Thomas, and the Medical Simulation Center at the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix which opened in 2022.
Philanthropist and former UVI Board of Trustees member Donald Sussman further bolstered the initiative with a landmark donation and pledge of $6 million to the University for the establishment of the University of the Virgin Islands S. Donald Sussman School of Medicine and that the Medical School Classroom Building be named in honor of his father, the William Sussman Medical School Building.The medical school, a dream President Hall has nurtured for many years, is pending preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME), the most prestigious accrediting body for medical schools in the United States and Canada.
The two-story, 33,876 square foot School of Medicine Classroom Building features an anatomy lab with anatomage (virtual dissecting) tables for anatomy education using technologically advanced visualization; a100-seat lecture hall, large seminar rooms and conference room all with SMART classroom technology; a 1,200 square foot clinical skills lab for group instruction; six individual clinical skills rooms for private instruction; and 5,000 square feet of administration space. The adjoining state-of-the-art Biomedical Lab includes both wet and dry labs and will recruit national researchers and experts in biomedical fields of infectious diseases and public health building on existing biomedical research already being conducted by faculty and students at UVI. The Biomedical Lab will also house the Biomedical Laboratory Certificate Program with funding from a Title III grant of $1.2 Million over five years.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, members of the medical community, UVI Board of Trustees and the Foundation for the University, UVI’s incoming president Dr. Safiya George, and federal and local officials gathered to tour the facilities and hear remarks from President Hall, UVI Board Chair Henry Smock, Governor Albert Bryan Jr., Senate President Novelle E. Francis Jr., Dr. Ben Sachs former dean of the UVI School of Medicine, Dr. Tai Hunte-Ceasar, founding dean of the UVI School of Medicine, Dr. Camille McKayle, Provost and Linda Cruz-Carnall, EDA Regional Director.
“Awards of this magnitude are not commonplace in our regular programming so it’s a particularly exciting day for me as Regional Director,” stated Cruz-Carnall. “It was our goal to drive both economic recovery and resiliency following the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria,” she explained.
UVI’s School of Medicine’s founding dean, Dr. Tai-Hunte Ceaser said, “As a Virgin Islander who enrolled in Howard University, a historically black college and university, for my own medical education, I understand firsthand the difficult yet transformative power of access to healthcare education. I am truly excited to begin working in this building once accreditation is established which will result in UVI’s School of Medicine becoming one of the few LCME U.S. accredited HBCU medical schools in the nation and the only in the Caribbean.”
Speaking on behalf of the VI Legislature, Senate President Francis stated, “My colleagues and I are committed to this process by ensuring that funds are appropriated to support our healthcare institutions and their mission to provide quality care for our community. I look forward to seeing these spaces in action and for our Territory to reap the short and long-term benefits from the professionals who will take classes here. My colleagues and I are so honored to have played a small part in bringing this project to life.”
Offering his congratulations to the UVI community, Governor Bryan remarked, “I think the theme of today that resonates the most with me is that of optimism, hope and faith.” Noting several major Territorial projects including UVI’s Medical Simulation Center and the ground-breaking of the School of Nursing facilities on the Albert A. Sheen Campus, he said, “It is
evident where our intentions are in the Virgin Islands to create a populus of progressive and successful people...”
For more information, contact pr@uvi.edu.
