The learning facility was made possible in part by a $1 million donation by School of Medicine alumnus Maurice Reid, MD ’99, a Board of Visitors member.
Photo: Left to right, Adam Puche, Mark Gladwin, Bruce Jarrell, and Maurice Reid cut a ribbon on the new facility.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) unveiled at an Oct. 8 ribbon-cutting ceremony the newly renovated Maurice N. Reid, MD ’99 Anatomy Teaching Facility, a state-of-the-art gross anatomy laboratory and learning facility made possible in part by a $1 million donation by UMSOM alum Maurice Reid, MD, a Board of Visitors member and former CEO and medical director of ExpressCare UrgentCare Centers.
Located in the Bressler Research Building, the facility features 52 dissection tables with surgical-quality overhead lighting, touch-screen computers, and a reading room for analyzing medical imaging.
“My philanthropy at the School of Medicine is centered around improving students' life on campus and enriching their education by improving facilities,” Reid said. “Our anatomy lab has exceeded my expectations. It represents a symbol of excellence in medical education and investment in the future of health care. I'm excited to witness the facility's impact on future physicians.”
The facility hosts UMSOM medical students throughout their four years of school. It facilitates anatomy training for physician assistants, pathology assistants, physical therapy students, dental students, and other health professionals in multiple University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) schools.
“This facility had not been updated since its construction in 1973, and many physicians and medical students over the last 50 years will recall what might have been charitably called ‘1970s hospital décor’ coupled with 1970s vintage fluorescent lighting, flooring, and other aging infrastructure,” said Adam Puche, PhD, Department of Neurobiology vice chair. “The positive impact the improved quality of this space will have on medical and allied health professional learning at UMB cannot be overstated.”
UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, and UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, UMB executive vice president for medical affairs and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, were among the UMB staff, faculty, and administrators who attended the event.
“This anatomy lab is part of the DNA of the medical school,” Gladwin said. “The study of anatomy is a rite of passage that introduces physicians to the art and practice of medicine. We can all be proud of this renovated facility, and we owe an incredible debt of gratitude to Maurice Reid and his wife, Kelly, for their gift.”