GARY | The Lake County Medical Society last week donated $100,000 to Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest.

The funding will go toward renovation and continued expansion of its teaching labs.

The donation, made in a ceremony Tuesday, will help the school offeradvanced teaching technology and high-tech patient simulation equipment.

Dr. Jay Hess, dean of the Indiana University School of Medicine, said he is thankful for the $100,000.

"We're extremely grateful for this donation that's going to create a state-of-the-art medical school," he said.

He also thanked local physicians who volunteer to teach medical students.

Locally, 270 physicians serve as volunteers for the medical school, said Pat Bankston,associate dean at Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest and dean of the College of Health and Human Services at IUN.

The school, which completed a $1 million renovation and expansion in 2012, offers four years of medical education. More than 650 physicians have been educated through the Gary campus since the start of the medical school in 1972.

Dr. Steve Simpson, president of the Lake County Medical Society, said the donation is an opportunity for the societys member physicians to provide input and direction for the local med school.

In recent years, the society has been assisting the medical school by providing small scholarships to students, but this donation enables the group to make a larger impact, he said.

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Society donates $100K to local med school