Kayli Plotner Staff writer

ROCKFORD Mercyhealth gave $250,000 today to support the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford's expansion to a four-year medical school.

The expansion will bring 55 first-year medical students to Rockford in August. Historically, medical students spend their first year at the Urbana campus and then complete the remaining three in Rockford.

"We are so appreciative of Mercyhealth's generous gift to support our transformation to a four-year school," said Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green, regional dean of the college. "This expansion includes physical improvements to our campus and also involves hiring of eight new faculty members, almost all of whom are relocating to Rockford from outside the region."

The college hopes the expansion will add to the continuity of education, strengthen relationships among students and enhance their exposure to the Rockford region. Mercyhealth's donation will help support a new anatomy laboratory with state-of-the-art virtual bodies and traditional cadavers, as well as a technology-based classroom designed for team-based learning.

"Medical education is critically important to the training of tomorrow's physicians," said Javon Bea, president and CEO of Mercyhealth. "We are proud to have partnered with the University of Illinois College of Medicine in their mission since the college's inception in 1971."

"This collaboration provides us the opportunity to have a lasting impact on medical education, securing quality and compassionate care for the Rockford region."

Kayli Plotner: 815-987-1391; kplotner@rrstar.com; @kayplot

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Mercyhealth donates $250K to Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford - Rockford Register Star