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This modern medical center is a major health resource for the State of Nebraska and surrounding areas. Several integrated units fulfill the mission of the University of Nebraska Medical Center: The College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Dentistry, Office of Graduate Studies and Research, the Meyer Rehabilitation Institute, the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Nebraska Medical Center (Clarkson and University Hospital), and University Medical Associates. The School of Allied Health Professions is part of the College of Medicine.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is one of four campuses of the University of Nebraska: the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK). An eleven-member Board of Regents insures that the University meets its goals of quality instruction, research, and public service for the citizens of the state. History The Legislative Act of February 15, 1869 that created the University of Nebraska provided for a college of medicine. The University of Nebraska College of Medicine was established at Lincoln in 1883, but closed when the legislature withdrew support in 1887. The Omaha Medical College, started in 1881, was the forerunner of the present College of Medicine. It became a part of the University of Nebraska in 1902. From 1902 to 1913, the first two years of the four-year medical course were held in Lincoln and the last two years in Omaha. Since 1913, all four years have been taught in Omaha. The College has had a distinguished record of excellence in medical education and its graduates have excelled in all areas of medical practice, research and teaching. (Click here to visit the images of UNMC history). Standing The College of Medicine meets all requirements of the most exacting state examining and licensing boards. It is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. The University of Nebraska Medical Center is fully accredited by the North Central Association. The College has developed new programs to improve health services for the citizens of the State. The Geriatric Program meets needs of elderly patients and provides training for students. The Center for Human Nutrition promotes nutrition teaching and conducts research in nutrition and related fields. The liver and bone marrow transplant programs have become national leaders in patient care and research and draw patients from all over the world. The LifeNet helicopter transport service speeds transfer of acutely ill patients from distances up to 200 miles from Omaha to the teaching services of the Nebraska Medical Center. Clinical faculty members make consulting visits to smaller communities in Nebraska and residents and students do part of their training in these communities in order to gain experience in the community practice of medicine in addition to their training in the large medical center. Educational Goals The goals of the College of Medicine are to provide the best possible training both in the science and art of medicine for students with the dedication and ability to become working practitioners of the healing arts. Education at the College of Medicine sets high standards for its students who, as a result, are recognized throughout the country as highly skilled practitioners with superior clinical ability. Over 85% of the graduates of the College of Medicine obtain one of their top three choices of residency programs nationwide. Educational programs The College of Medicine offers several major educational programs: a course of medical studies leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine; a combined MD/PhD program; residencies and fellowships in the clinical specialties (Graduate Medical Education); and educational opportunities for physicians in practice (Continuing Medical Education), and training in allied health professions. Undergraduate Medical Education The College of Medicine offers a fully accredited program leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine. The College also offers the degree of bachelor of science in medicine to medical students who have completed one or two years of medical school and transfer credits from their undergraduate institution. Graduate Medical Education Medical education is a continuing process that begins in medical school and continues through the professional life of the physician. Medicine offers many exciting career choices. Graduating seniors from UNMC participate in the National Resident Matching Program to obtain first year residency positions. They have been highly successful in obtaining the residency programs throughout the United States, with the majority choosing primary care training in Nebraska. The College of Medicine offers residency programs in Anesthesiology, Child Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Oral Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Otolaryngology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Primary Care, Psychiatry, Radiology, Surgery, and Urology. These programs are integrated with affiliated community hospitals to provide a broad experience in graduate medical education. Continuing Medical Education The College provides continuing education for practicing physicians, nurses, and those in the allied health professions. The Medical Center offers over 125 on-campus courses each year. Medical students are welcome to attend most scheduled programs. The Medical Center also brings continuing medical education to physicians and other health workers in their own hospitals through off-campus courses, and two-way television and telephone conferences involving the College of Medicine faculty and hospitals throughout Nebraska.
Graduate College The Graduate College of the University of Nebraska conducts programs on each of the four University of Nebraska campuses. Programs at the Medical Center campus leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are as follows:
In addition, there are interdisciplinary Training Programs in Cancer Research, Environmental Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, and Pharmacological Sciences. The four year course of studies leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine is designed by the faculty to provide the best possible training for future practitioners. The curriculum ensures that students develop the understanding, clinical skills and knowledge needed for residency training and practice. The Nebraska graduate develops superior skills in problem solving and clinical reasoning, extensive knowledge of the biomedical and psychosocial sciences and learns skills needed for lifelong learning of medicine. Interdisciplinary cores in the first two years introduce students to the basic sciences of medicine: anatomy, behavioral science, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology and physiology. Here students also begin to learn clinical skills and reasoning. In the third and fourth years students apply their knowledge on the hospital wards and clinical offices. Under faculty guidance students develop clinical diagnostic and management skills. They learn to select clinical tests and prescribe therapies. They learn to provide comprehensive care and learn the art of medicine. During the third year, students take clinical clerkships in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery. In the fourth year, students select from a variety of clinical and basic science experiences. To qualify for graduation, students must show that they have acquired the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for residency training. Students get early experience in medical problem solving through preceptorships and clinical case study in small groups. At the beginning of medical school, students work in small groups with a faculty member to solve clinical cases. This initial exercise helps develop the library and information retrieval skills they will need in their medical studies. Case study and small group teaching emphasizing problem-based learning are becoming more prominent features of all of the basic science courses. Since 1986, simulated patients have been used to supplement the clinical experience of medical students. These trained patient simulators are used to teach and evaluate history taking and physical examination skills. All these changes are making medical education more relevant to patient care and medical practice. The Curriculum Committee, with student representation, is responsible for curricular change and evaluation. All courses must have written educational goals and objectives. Clinical Facilities at the University of Nebraska Medical Center: Nebraska Medical Center, University Medical Associates, and the Meyer Rehabilitation Institute provide extensive inpatient and outpatient services in which students participate as part of their clinical education. The Nebraska Medical Center is a 687-bed facility and remains the primary teaching hospital for the College of Medicine. Nebraska Medical Center (formerly NHS) operates clinics and health care centers serving Omaha, Nebraska and Shenandoah, Iowa. In addition, Nebraska Medical Center physicians operate more than 300 outpatient clinics in communities in five states (Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, and Missouri). the Nebraska Medical Center provides access to tertiary and primary care including world-class specialized treatment such as solid organ transplantation, burn care, wound care, geriatrics, bone marrow (stem cell) transplantation and other cancer treatments. UNMC is world-renowned in the treatment of lymphomas and leukemias, and has one of the two most active bone marrow transplant programs in the country. Over 3,000 bone marrow transplants have been performed in the institution. The U.S. News & World Report ranked UNMC as one of the top 50 hospitals for cancer care in the country. UNMC also has a strong reputation in solid organ transplantation and has the third or fourth busiest small bowel transplant transplant program in the country. The liver transplantation program is in the top 15 in the country. The Emergency Services Department is a regional trauma center and is an important part of the educational experience. University Medical Associates (UMA) is the faculty group practice of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The mission of UMA is to provide high quality, cost effective patient care and to support the academic mission of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. UMA includes more than 400 physicians who provide primary and specialty care to patients at Nebraska Medical Center hospitals and clinics throughout the metropolitan Omaha area and in the region. UMA physicians are faculty of the University of Nebraska College Medicine and are actively engaged in teaching and research as well as patient care. The Munroe-Meyer Institute for Rehabilitation and Human Genetics, also located on the Medical Center campus on 44th Street, provides diagnosis and treatment for more than 9,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities each year. Numerous interdisciplinary specialty clinics and services are provided at UNMC, at UMA clinics across the state including Neurodevelopmental and Neurobehavioral clinics, Augmentative Communication Assessment, Gait Analysis, ADHD clinic, and Feeding and Swallowing clinic. MMI also houses the Hattie B. Munroe Center for Human Genetics which is the only comprehensive laboratory, research and clinical genetics program in the region, offering a complete range of services, including prenatal screening and diagnosis, and genetic counseling services. Affiliated Hospitals To enhance its educational opportunities, the College has affiliations with community hospitals throughout the state. The Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center is fully integrated into the educational programs of the College of Medicine. Library of Medicine The Leon S. McGoogan Library of Medicine is one of the country's major health sciences libraries. It occupies 60,000 square feet in Wittson Hall. Its central location reflects the concept of the library as a catalyst for all activities on the campus. The collection numbers over 225,000 volumes, with a current journal list of over 1,400 titles, more than half of which are available electronically. The library's catalog and electronic resources including health information databases, electronic texts and electronic journals can be searched 24 hours a day from on campus and off via the UNMC campus Intranet and the World Wide Web. Multimedia materials for computer-assisted and self-instruction in curricular fields are collected and made available in the Sievers Facility for Interactive Instruction and its adjacent Learning Resources Center. Reference and educational services assist users in meeting their information needs, and in developing skills in retrieval, management, and evaluation of medical information. Document delivery and interlibrary borrowing are also available, as are special services such as dissertation binding and health information services for the health care providers and consumers within the state of Nebraska. Laboratory Facilities The gross anatomy laboratory is located on the second level of Wittson Hall. Nearby is a modern audiovisual room with a wide variety of auto-instructional materials. A multi-disciplinary laboratory located on the third floor of Wittson Hall is used for laboratory experience in histology, neuroanatomy, microbiology and pathology courses. |
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page last modified Wednesday June 23, 2004 |
