Phoenix Healthcare Jobs Created by New UA Building

The construction of a new educational facility will prepare more students for Phoenix healthcare jobs.

Workers recently began construction on the Health Sciences Education Building at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus. The $129 million project will result in a new six-story, 264,000-square-foot facility expected to open by summer of 2010.

Perhaps most importantly, the project will help to expand the University of Arizona's medical education facilities, which will in turn help to create more healthcare jobs.

"Even in a treacherously down economy, our city has remained committed to forging ahead when it comes to attracting bioscience research jobs, education jobs, and creating new doctors who will save lives," Mayor Phil Gordon said. "This building and our partnership with the University embodies the collaborative spirit that has made our success possible. When the Health Sciences building opens and we're graduating 120 new doctors a year, we'll look back on this day as a landmark."

The UA College of Medicine, which currently anchors the campus, has an enrollment of about 168 medical students. The college admits about 48 students per year, but the new health sciences education building will up that number to about 120 students per year.

"Today highlights the city's commitment to building a knowledge-based economy in bioscience research and education," Stuart Flynn, MD, dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, said. "Located on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, this building embodies the collaborative environment where current and future doctors will learn side-by-side with pharmacists, nurses and allied health workers to advance science and improve patient care."

The biomedical campus also includes the UA College of Pharmacy, the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, the Translational Genomics Research Institute headquarters, the International Genomics Consortium headquarters, and the Arizona Biomedical Collaborative building.