I’m very happy to say that we are less than a year away from the anticipated completion of the first permanent building for the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. The five-story, 135,000-square-foot Medical Education Building will be a centerpiece for the Las Vegas Medical District. 

Since breaking ground last year M.J. Dean Construction has been making great progress with more than 100 workers on the job each day. If you’ve driven by the site on Pinto and Shadow lanes, you know the building already has a formidable presence and is beginning to take on some of the characteristics that will define its look and feel. 

Designed with unique architectural elements, the state-of-the-art building will have a stylish patio out front and a large staircase leading to a multi-story community space for public lectures, TED talks, and a donor recognition wall with a tribute to Kirk Kerkorian, the Las Vegas visionary and philanthropist for whom the school is named. 

While it’s easy to get excited about the building’s design, we are greatly looking forward to the increased space, which will eventually allow us to increase the number of physicians we train. 

There will be 15 patient rooms equipped with cameras to monitor the interaction between students and actor patients, and simulation suites where students can practice procedures on manikins that breathe, cry, sweat, and respond to medications. 

I could go on about all the things the additional space will allow, but suffice it to say, we can’t wait to get in and get to work. Of course, all of this is made possible by the generous donors who formed the Nevada Health and Bioscience Corp., chiefly responsible for funding and overseeing the construction of the project. 

Together, we are improving this community and transforming health care in Southern Nevada. I look forward to eventually giving you all a tour of the building. Until then, here’s a look at videos and photos taken recently at the construction site.