School of Medicine unveils renovated office, meeting and study area for students

Students, staff and faculty at the UMKC School of Medicine joined Dean Betty Drees and Chancellor Leo Morton on Aug. 3 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially opening the school’s newly renovated docent unit.

The unit is one of five docent units – key elements supporting the School of Medicine’s emphasis on a team-based approach to patient care and creating “learning communities” for its students. The docent units are comprised of 10-12 students and provide individual office space, as well as flexible common space, for studying and networking with mentors and fellow students.

The new unit will serve as a prototype for feedback prior to planning further remodeling of the school’s other docent units. Funding for the renovation came from the Caring for Missourians initiative and also included the construction of a new 37-seat computer testing and training lab on the first floor of the school.

The updated facilities are part of a nearly $3-million project to accommodate increases in student enrollment and to provide an enhanced a learning atmosphere that supports student retention and success. The first step in the updates took place when the School renovated the lobby and first-floor theaters in 2008.