Tampa, FL (March 30, 2012) —University of South Florida and community leaders, joined by education, industry and simulation partners from around the world and national specialty society officials, gathered this morning for the grand opening of the USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS) in downtown Tampa. The $38-million, 90,000 square foot building brings an unprecedented level of technical and teamwork training, simulation and competence assessment under one roof, as well as significant research and device innovation capability.
More than 700 people attended the celebration, filling the center’s 200-seat auditorium to capacity and watching speakers on flat screen monitors in several adjacent classrooms. Afterwards, they fanned out into the lobby to watch the ribbon cutting and then toured various demonstrations of the center’s innovative simulation technology and other learning resources.
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The ceremonial ribbon cutting marked the official opening of CAMLS, which began holding training sessions and programs last month.
Dr. Stephen Klasko, CEO of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine: ""Welcome to the revolution. We're going to transform healthcare... CAMLS will become a brand identity built around quality and safety, not just in this country but around the world."
Judy Genshaft, PhD, USF System President: "These are the kind of partnerships that make CAMLS a model for the future... CAMLS has always been a project with a global vision, but with a local strength."
Kathy Castor, U.S. Representative, 11th District of Florida: "The Tampa Bay region is on its way to becoming a premier health innovation capital, and USF and CAMLS are cornerstones of that emerging excellence."
Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa Mayor: "This is what the future looks like... This is transformative, not just for healthcare, but as a powerful economic engine for Tampa and Hillsborough County."
Dr. Hal Lawrence, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: "ACOG is very proud to have worked with USF in creating and conceptualizing this center... Simulation centers, such as CAMLS, will assist physicians so they can provide the best care for their patients."
Dr. Carlos Pellegrini, American College of Surgeons: "This is a crucial time in the training of young health professionals, a time in which educators are asked not only to help students master the science of medicine, but to apply it in an efficient way to practice... This center is strategically designed to respond to that paradigm."
Dr. Kevin Fitzpatrick, American College of Cardiology: "The entire cardiovascular community is looking at this facility and its hybrid catherization lab dedicated to training... Come to USF and look at what is happening here."
Jeff Skiles, Captain, U.S. Airways: "I can tell you from my 27 years of simulation training, there's no more effective means of training and testing for performance."
Following the formal program, those attending the grand opening toured the three-story facility.
Dr. Stuart Hart, who leads the Tampa Bay Research and Innovation Center at CAMLS, shows some military guests a human tissue model created with a 3-D printer.
Video by Amy Mariani and photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications
