IPER Center

JOHNSON CITY (Oct. 22, 2018) – Since the early 1990s, East Tennessee State University has been a leader in interprofessional education. The completion of a $13 million renovation project that transformed a historic building into a state-of-the-art education and research center will allow the institution to remain at the forefront of team-based learning and research for years to come.

ETSU’s Academic Health Sciences Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday to celebrate the opening of the Interprofessional Education and Research (IPER) Center, commonly known as Building 60. The federal building on the Mountain Home Veterans Affairs campus is more than a century old and once served as the Quartermaster’s Storehouse and fire station. Striking a balance of historical character with modern features and technology, Building 60 has been repurposed as ETSU’s headquarters for interprofessional education.

“This building is symbolic and it’s transformational,” noted Dr. Wilsie Bishop, ETSU vice president for Health Affairs. “It’s symbolic because of the team-based approach to education and health care delivery that are fundamental tenets of the way we teach our health professions students. It is transformational in the kinds of activities and learning that will take place here.”

The IPER Center includes just under 17,000 square feet of usable space and consists of simulation labs, research space, classrooms and an apartment to simulate home visits, as well as student study space and food service. Common spaces, conference rooms and meeting rooms occupy portions of every floor to maximize opportunities for interprofessional interactions and building of new relationships as students in all areas of the health sciences professions have the opportunity to learn and problem-solve together.

“We believe that this building creates an environment where spontaneity can bring people together for issues that they are passionate about. It’s a place where they can find like-minded colleagues to learn and work together to solve problems and issues that are important for us to address for the people of this region,” Bishop said.

The vision to create a physical symbol for the Academic Health Sciences Center where all five ETSU health sciences colleges could come together under one roof became a reality this fall. Doors opened to students, faculty and staff from the Academic Health Sciences Center, which includes the Quillen College of Medicine, the Gatton College of Pharmacy, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health and the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences.

 “These colleges are led by deans who strongly believe that it is essential to prepare practice-ready health professionals in an innovative, interprofessional, experiential learning and research environment,” Bishop added.

“When you look at the mission of this institution and trace its roots back to the connection with the VA, it’s really a mission that’s embodied here – a mission of caring for our neighbors and making a difference,” said ETSU President Brian Noland. “The training that will occur in this facility will provide opportunities for those who move into the health care professions to continue to carry that mission forward.”  


Media contact
Amanda Mowell
mowella@etsu.edu
423-439-4317