Nearly 20 percent of new jobs in the United States are in healthcare and allied health

professions, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. As such, colleges and
universities are stepping up their focus on science, technology, engineering,
mathematics (STEM) and allied health sciences programs to meet growing market
needs for trained healthcare professionals.

Learning spaces are evolving to accommodate these new programs, and several distinct
developments are driving architectural planning for the allied health sciences.

Interdisciplinary

As medical and nursing curricula evolve, so too are the allied health sciences, driving
the need for a new integrated and interdisciplinary approach to health sciences
education and research. Traditionally siloed with dedicated curriculum and
accreditation/testing, STEM and allied health sciences are sharing facilities, equipment,
disciplines and teaching models to both compete in the healthcare market and
effectively navigate industry changes.

Technology

Technology has grown exponentially over the past 10 years and increasingly is driving
teaching models. No longer led by the sage on the stage, today’s learning environments
are simulating real-life patient scenarios and healthcare settings using virtual reality,
visualization tools, robotics, high-fidelity mannequins and task trainers. Mannequins now
replace cadavers to simulate actual medical conditions as electronic task trainers
simulate different body parts. Robotics can simulate almost any medical condition
today–training a new generation of tech-savvy students.

Simulation settings often include a briefing, followed by the simulation procedure

controlled by an instructor, then followed by debriefing–often in the same space.
Audio/visual technology records the skills-training simulation, allowing students and
instructors to critique the session, and provide for remote participation.

Simulation technology has made inroads in all aspects of healthcare education, and
even healthcare organizations are using simulation centers as a professional
development tool for physicians, nurses, caregivers, and new hires.

Globalization

Allied health sciences also are becoming more globally focused as students study
computational medicine, demographics and data mining to develop skills in population
health management and identify global health trends. Campuses are building
partnerships with healthcare organizations nationally and internationally to give students
real-world experiences working with doctors remotely using mobile technology to
diagnosis patients. The goal is to develop evidence-based data skills to deliver
predictive outcomes.
Flexibility

Today’s learning spaces have to accommodate multiple functions and encourage hands-
on experiences, with nontraditional settings, technology-rich labs, distance learning
opportunities and makerspaces that offer students flexibility, engagement, and
interdisciplinary experiences. Such spaces build bridges between academic theories
and real-word solutions and act as catalysts for innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and
collaboration.

A strategic planning response is to develop diverse and flexible learning environments

that support the continued advancements in curricular models, technology, and the
overall evolution of healthcare delivery and discovery.

This means having spaces that scale up or down for different class sizes–from 40 to
140, from large lectures to small-group seminars–to accommodate changes to
instruction. Through flexibility, students and instructors become participants in a
collaborative learning environment.

Programs of Tomorrow

Many programs across the country already are redefining healthcare and allied health
sciences education.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, for instance, is launching a new medical

school that combines clinical medicine with the campus’s renowned biosciences and
engineering programs. The cross-disciplinary Carle Illinois College of Medicine (which is
separate from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago) will train students
to be “physician innovators” and entrepreneurs when it opens in coming years, inspiring
graduates to develop new technologies, medical devices, procedures, and allied
industries.

Similarly, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) is combining clinical health services

and educational programming in a new health center to enhance cross-disciplinary
opportunities. The 107,000-square-foot, three-story University Health Center, designed
by HGA, will house medical, dental and physical therapy clinics alongside the University
of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Nursing-Lincoln Division when
completed in mid-2018.

The College of Nursing includes simulation center (above), skills labs, active learning
classrooms, education support space, administrative offices, and research labs. The
planning supports shared learning between the nursing program and clinics, giving
students hands-on experience. The building also will strengthen educational resources
between UNL and UNMC in Omaha.
 “This shared facility is a testament to campus collaborations, which enables us to better
serve the healthcare needs of university students and raise the level of nursing
education and research,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.

Takeaways

Programs such as these are demonstrating the importance of educational cross-

fertilization. As you plan learning spaces to support new curriculum, remember:

 Be entrepreneurial in your learning model.

 Think globally.

 Plan flexible spaces for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

 Provide maker and collaboration spaces to foster evolving protocol and product
development.

 Put science and technology on display.

 Position your students as future healthcare leaders.