Medical education facilities / prepared by Public Health Service, in cooperation with the Ad Hoc Committee on the Design of University Teaching Hospitals of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the Public Health Service.

  • United States. Public Health Service. Division of Hospital and Medical Facilities.
Date:
[1964]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical education facilities / prepared by Public Health Service, in cooperation with the Ad Hoc Committee on the Design of University Teaching Hospitals of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the Public Health Service. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Among the teaching, research, and supporting facilities common to all departments are an audi- torium and lecture room, medical] illustration de- partment, library, animal quarters, and technical shops. Study cubicles are provided for first- and second-year students in the basic science facilities and for third- and fourth-year students and house officers in the teaching hospital. In addition to space for administration, facilities such as a book- store, student lounge, storage rooms, post office, and housekeeping facilities are provided. The importance of long-range planning should be understood and emphasized from the very be- ginning of the project. To develop a well- thought-out, comprehensive program for medical education facilities, a university considering the construction of such facilities should utilize a plan- ning committee, professional consultants, and if possible, full-time professional staff. In the case of a new school, the dean should serve as chair- man of the committee. The committee, in consultation with the project architect, should make basic decisions on the func- tions and responsibilities of the school and the relationship of the school to its parent university and related teaching programs. Wherever pos- sible, departmental space should be planned with the advice of the department head. If a new teaching hospital is to be constructed, its size should be determined with a view to the present and future needs of the students and to the service commitments to the area. Use of an existing hospital will require consideration of ad- ministrative relations between the hospital and the school and careful planning of alterations and additions to make the hospital suitable for teaching. The possibility of future expansion of school ac- tivities should be constantly borne in mind in the planning of facilities. Such expansion could take the form of increased enrollment, additional teach- ing responsibilities, expanded research activity, or greater and more varied patient services. The future expansion potential of every part of the facility should be stressed so that “growth in balance” of all departments and services will re- sult. The overall long-range plan for the medical center should provide for growth in any depart- ment or service without interfering with contiguity of departments. The probability of the need for expansion of library and animal facilities should be considered. The importance of traffic flow, both external and internal, should be emphasized so that as expan- sion occurs the circulation of masses of students and faculty through academic departments is kept toaminimum. The separation of carts and trucks from personnel should be maintained. Specialized hospitals and specialized research units will undoubetedly become a part of the medi- cal center complex and site provisions should be made for these facilities. Starting with the appointment of a dean before any major planning is done, the construction of new medical education facilities may be scheduled as follows: Development of program—6 months to a year; design and construction of basic science and clinical science facilities—18 to 80 months; design of teaching hospital and clinics—12 to 24 months; construction of hospital—24 to 80 months, to be completed by the time the first class has reached the third year of the curriculum. Ideally the basic science facilities, clinical science facilities, and teaching hospital should be closely connected. Even though the basic science and clinical science facilities are separated, the clinical science facili- ties and the teaching hospital should be contiguous because of the interrelationship of these areas. The appointment of department heads should be- gin as soon as the program has been developed; basic science and a few key clinical heads should be in residence at least 1 year before teaching begins.