Valleywise Health has been awarded a $3 million grant from The Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority (MCIDA) to assist in developing a comprehensive medical simulation training program.

With this grant, Valleywise Health will provide expanded hands-on learning experiences to hundreds of medical residents and students with the most up to date technology.

“This will allow Valleywise Health to train health professionals with state-of-the art equipment, improving patient care and reducing medical errors by honing the skills of Arizona’s future clinicians,” said Dr. Michael White, Chief Medical Officer.

The three-year grant will provide partial funding for state-of-the-art simulation, staffing, and hospital equipment for a training center with realistic intensive care units, labor and delivery suites, operating rooms, trauma bays, primary care clinics and behavioral health units.

“The grant to Valleywise Health will allow for further enhancement of our important healthcare industry in Maricopa County. This is an area of economic importance that has been highlighted by COVID-19 most recently but has always had economic development potential well beyond the current base,” stated Jim Rounds, MCIDA Board Member.

Valleywise Health Foundation joined Valleywise Health in making the grant request.

“I would like to thank the MCIDA Board for recognizing the value of Valleywise Health’s historic role in training the next generation of Arizona’s physicians,” said Nita Francis, co-chair of the foundation’s campaign cabinet. “This investment will have a significant impact on the quality of medical care in our community by helping Valleywise Health to add highly trained physicians to the local economy.”

Valleywise Health began Arizona’s first medical residency program in 1952 and today is one of the state’s largest physician training program. Valleywise and its physician partner, District Medical Group, spearheaded formation of the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, in partnership with Creighton University and Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. The primary pipeline for physician training has greatly increased because of the Alliance, in which Valleywise Health plays a critical role in closing the physician shortage gap.

Of the 322 medical residents and fellows in the Alliance, two-thirds are employed by Valleywise Health, however, nearly all of the Alliance residents conduct some portion of their training at Valleywise. Training programs range from emergency medicine, family medicine, and surgery to adult and adolescent psychiatry.

In addition, Valleywise Health is the clinical training partner for 35 other area educational institutions. Annually, nearly 1,200 students pursuing their degrees in nursing, medicine, pharmacy, respiratory therapy, radiology, occupational therapy, paramedic, and phlebotomy.

“The Board of Directors of the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority is proud to support Valleywise Health in their efforts to bring state-of-the-art training and simulation to Arizona’s healthcare system. In conjunction with our previous grant to Creighton University in support of their Phoenix campus, the Valleywise Health grant furthers our commitment to improving the quality of life in Maricopa County, and more specifically, the quality of healthcare,” said Ron Westad, MCIDA Board Chairman and CEO, Arizona Federal Credit Union

For more information on Valleywise Health, visit http://www.valleywisehealth.org.