New VCU School of Medicine Building

The new academic and research facility for the School of Medicine will add 200,000 square feet of clinical simulation, learning labs, classrooms, and research laboratories as well as student activity and administrative office space. Bringing together medical students, residents and alumni, the state-of-the-art training hub will house a transformed curriculum that will set a new standard in medical education.

A projected shortage in the number of physicians threatens to reduce access to medical care as Virginia’s population ages. This new facility for education and training will include a 300-seat lecture hall that will allow the medical school to increase the current 200-student class size to 250 students, increasing the total medical student body to 1,000. The new building is a vital element in the medical school’s plans to update its curriculum to incorporate active learning, case-based lectures and small group study. Just as importantly as increasing class size, the building will also include expanded space for small group learning and clinical skills training.

The new building will be situated on the land previously occupied by A.D. Williams, a 1930s-era facility requiring replacement due to its serious physical deficiencies, including no fire suppression system.

Central to VCU's MCV Campus, the new building will be connected by a bridge and a tunnel to facilities housing hospital, clinic, teaching and research functions. The design fits comfortably with the unique architectural character that defines the City of Richmond while providing an iconic identity for the School of Medicine.