University of Connecticut Health Center
Encyclopedia
The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine
, John Dempsey Hospital, the UConn Medical Group, UConn Health Partners and University Dentists. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. The Health Center's 206 acre (0.83365316 km²) campus is situated around a wooded hilltop in the historic community of Farmington
, a suburb about 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Hartford
. The University's
main campus is in Storrs
, about 30 miles (48.3 km) east of Hartford. With approximately 5,000 employees, the Health Center is Connecticut's
16th largest employer and is recognized as an important contributor to the local and regional economy. Dr. Cato T. Laurencin
, a world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon and bioengineering expert, joined the UConn Health Center as its chief executive in 2008. He is vice president for health affairs, dean of the medical school, the Van Dusen Endowed Chair in Academic Medicine, and is distinguished professor of orthopaedic surgery and chemical, biomolecular and materials engineering at the University of Connecticut.
Through John Dempsey Hospital (204 general acute care beds and 20 nursery beds), the Health Center provides specialized and routine inpatient and outpatient services. John Dempsey Hospital is widely recognized for its comprehensive cardiovascular, cancer and musculoskeletal services. Additionally, John Dempsey Hospital is home to the only emergency department in the Farmington Valley.
Also offered are a wide range of ambulatory and primary care services on the Health Center campus in Farmington and in physician offices conveniently located in West Hartford, Simsbury and East Hartford. The UConn Medical Group is the largest medical practice in Greater Hartford, offering patients access to health care services from more than 450 Health Center physicians in more than 50 specialties.
In October 2007, John Dempsey Hospital was honored with a 2007 Premier | CareScience Select Practice National Quality Award for superior patient outcomes in both quality and efficiency. John Dempsey Hospital was one of 49 hospitals nationally, the top 1 percent of acute inpatient facilities, recognized with the Select Practice Award.
In March 2007, the Health Center was named one of the nation’s top 100 hospitals in the Solucient 100 Top Hospitals®: National Benchmarks for Success. It was one of only 15 hospitals nationwide recognized in the major teaching hospital category.
The Correctional Managed Health Care (CMHC) program, a partnership with the Department of Correction, delivers comprehensive managed health care to State of Connecticut inmates. Medical, mental health, dental and ancillary services are provided in all 18 facilities across the state.
The UConn Health Center is the only academic health center in the nation where a medical school was founded concurrently with a dental school. As the schools took shape during the 1960s, their planners took advantage of their simultaneous evolution to forge links between them. Most notably, medical and dental students share an essentially common curriculum during the first two years of their four-year degree programs. During this period they study the basic medical sciences together. This experience provides UConn's dental students with a foundation in the biomedical sciences that undergird the dental profession. Reflecting its close ties to medicine, the dental school awards its graduates the D.M.D. - doctor of dental medicine.
Each year in Farmington, about 320 students work toward their medical doctor's degree and 160 toward their doctor of medical dentistry degree. Admission to each school is highly competitive, but both schools offer preferential consideration to qualified Connecticut residents in their admissions policies. The Health Center graduated its first students in 1972.
Through a variety of residency programs, the School of Medicine provides postgraduate training for more than 550 newly graduated M.D.s each year. These physicians come from all over the country to acquire advanced skills in fields such as the surgical specialties, internal medicine, and primary care. Some of the residency training occurs on the Health Center's main campus, but much of it takes place in community hospitals in Greater Hartford - thus extending the Health Center's influence far beyond Farmington.
The UConn Health Center houses the Hartford Medical Society Historical Library. This history of medicine collection is rich in 19th century American monographs, serials, pamphlets, manuscripts and artifacts.
In 2010, the university established the Cell and Genome Sciences Building, which includes its new Stem Cell Institute as well as cell biology and genetics research in its Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling and Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology. The new center allows UConn scientists to work in a cross-disciplinary, collaborative setting in stem cell research and accelerate discoveries that ultimately could lead to therapies treating a broad range of diseases and disorders.
, a regional cancer center, a regional simulation center at Hartford Hospital, a primary care institute at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, a health disparities institute, a bioscience enterprise zone, and continuation of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences. The State House gave final legislative approval in the closing days of the 2010 session.
In June 2010, the UConn School of Medicine received a “warning of probation" by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education
(LCME) following their scheduled reaccreditation site visit by representatives in January of the same year. The medical school was found to be partially or substantially noncompliant with fifteen (15) standards and is now required to correct areas of non-compliance by submitting a corrective action plan by December 15, 2010. The School of Medicine will be revisited by the LCME in 18 months and at that time determine whether the school is to remain accredited.
University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine
University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine is a school of dentistry located at the UConn Health Center in Farmington, Connecticut. The school is often placed highly in national rankings, and was ranked #1 by the National Board Dental Examiners in 2001 based on the board scores of...
, John Dempsey Hospital, the UConn Medical Group, UConn Health Partners and University Dentists. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. The Health Center's 206 acre (0.83365316 km²) campus is situated around a wooded hilltop in the historic community of Farmington
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
, a suburb about 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. The University's
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
main campus is in Storrs
Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs is a census-designated place and part of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut located in eastern Tolland County. The population was 10,996 at the 2000 census...
, about 30 miles (48.3 km) east of Hartford. With approximately 5,000 employees, the Health Center is Connecticut's
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
16th largest employer and is recognized as an important contributor to the local and regional economy. Dr. Cato T. Laurencin
Cato T. Laurencin
Cato T. Laurencin , a professor and a surgeon, is the outgoing Dean of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Connecticut....
, a world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon and bioengineering expert, joined the UConn Health Center as its chief executive in 2008. He is vice president for health affairs, dean of the medical school, the Van Dusen Endowed Chair in Academic Medicine, and is distinguished professor of orthopaedic surgery and chemical, biomolecular and materials engineering at the University of Connecticut.
Health Care Services
Also offered are a wide range of ambulatory and primary care services on the Health Center campus in Farmington and in physician offices conveniently located in West Hartford, Simsbury and East Hartford. The UConn Medical Group is the largest medical practice in Greater Hartford, offering patients access to health care services from more than 450 Health Center physicians in more than 50 specialties.
In October 2007, John Dempsey Hospital was honored with a 2007 Premier | CareScience Select Practice National Quality Award for superior patient outcomes in both quality and efficiency. John Dempsey Hospital was one of 49 hospitals nationally, the top 1 percent of acute inpatient facilities, recognized with the Select Practice Award.
In March 2007, the Health Center was named one of the nation’s top 100 hospitals in the Solucient 100 Top Hospitals®: National Benchmarks for Success. It was one of only 15 hospitals nationwide recognized in the major teaching hospital category.
The Correctional Managed Health Care (CMHC) program, a partnership with the Department of Correction, delivers comprehensive managed health care to State of Connecticut inmates. Medical, mental health, dental and ancillary services are provided in all 18 facilities across the state.
Education
The Health Center offers degree programs in medicine (M.D.), dental medicine (D.M.D.), and biomedical science (Ph.D.); master's degree programs in public health and dental science; postdoctoral fellowships; residency programs providing specialty training for newly graduated physicians and dentists; and continuing education programs for practicing health care professionals. Combined degree programs, such as the M.D./Ph.D., D.M.D./Ph.D., Dental Clinical Specialty/Ph.D. and M.D./M.P.H. are also offered.The UConn Health Center is the only academic health center in the nation where a medical school was founded concurrently with a dental school. As the schools took shape during the 1960s, their planners took advantage of their simultaneous evolution to forge links between them. Most notably, medical and dental students share an essentially common curriculum during the first two years of their four-year degree programs. During this period they study the basic medical sciences together. This experience provides UConn's dental students with a foundation in the biomedical sciences that undergird the dental profession. Reflecting its close ties to medicine, the dental school awards its graduates the D.M.D. - doctor of dental medicine.
Each year in Farmington, about 320 students work toward their medical doctor's degree and 160 toward their doctor of medical dentistry degree. Admission to each school is highly competitive, but both schools offer preferential consideration to qualified Connecticut residents in their admissions policies. The Health Center graduated its first students in 1972.
Through a variety of residency programs, the School of Medicine provides postgraduate training for more than 550 newly graduated M.D.s each year. These physicians come from all over the country to acquire advanced skills in fields such as the surgical specialties, internal medicine, and primary care. Some of the residency training occurs on the Health Center's main campus, but much of it takes place in community hospitals in Greater Hartford - thus extending the Health Center's influence far beyond Farmington.
The UConn Health Center houses the Hartford Medical Society Historical Library. This history of medicine collection is rich in 19th century American monographs, serials, pamphlets, manuscripts and artifacts.
Research
The Health Center recruits distinguished researchers with expertise in neuroscience, molecular biology, molecular pharmacology, biochemistry, cell physiology, toxicology, and endocrinology, among other fields. The Alcohol Research Center is one of only fourteen such federally supported centers in the nation; the Connecticut Clinical Chemosensory Research Center is one of five.In 2010, the university established the Cell and Genome Sciences Building, which includes its new Stem Cell Institute as well as cell biology and genetics research in its Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling and Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology. The new center allows UConn scientists to work in a cross-disciplinary, collaborative setting in stem cell research and accelerate discoveries that ultimately could lead to therapies treating a broad range of diseases and disorders.
Future
In March 2010, Gov. M. Jodi Rell proposed establishing the UConn Health Network, a collaboration with area hospitals designed to create jobs and improve access to quality health care in the state. The $352 million plan calls for a new patient tower and renovations to John Dempsey Hospital, contingent on securing $100 million from the federal government or, failing that, another source outside of state government. Other terms of the proposal include transfer of licensure of UConn's NICU beds to Connecticut Children's Medical CenterConnecticut Children's Medical Center
Connecticut Children's Medical Center is a comprehensive pediatric hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. The hospital serves more than 15,000 children in primary care services, 30,000 in emergency care services, and 6000 in surgical services annually...
, a regional cancer center, a regional simulation center at Hartford Hospital, a primary care institute at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, a health disparities institute, a bioscience enterprise zone, and continuation of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences. The State House gave final legislative approval in the closing days of the 2010 session.
In June 2010, the UConn School of Medicine received a “warning of probation" by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education
Liaison Committee on Medical Education
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education is an accrediting body for educational programs at schools of medicine in the United States and Canada. The LCME accredits only the schools that grant a doctor of medicine degree; osteopathic medical schools are accredited by the Commission on...
(LCME) following their scheduled reaccreditation site visit by representatives in January of the same year. The medical school was found to be partially or substantially noncompliant with fifteen (15) standards and is now required to correct areas of non-compliance by submitting a corrective action plan by December 15, 2010. The School of Medicine will be revisited by the LCME in 18 months and at that time determine whether the school is to remain accredited.