LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – A remodel project is underway for Gundersen Health System’s Integrated Center for Education. First News at Nine’s Dashal Mentzel explains what the remodel includes and how it will be used.

Today (10/30/23) marks the kickoff for renovations at the Gundersen Health System Integrated Center of Education, which will help bring in more students.

Carley Buisman, the manager of the Integrated Center for Education, says, “What we are adding to the space is three inpatient rooms, two control rooms and then two office spaces. And so, this is going to be a huge benefit to Gunderson and improve our training that we provide here at Gundersen.”

Buisman says the main reason for the project is to provide space to bring in more learners, “Last year alone we had 8,600 learners come through and we had to turn away a lot of people, unfortunately. This new space is going to really improve and increase the amount of training that we can provide here at Gundersen.”

The project was given a huge boost by the Anderson Foundation, who gave the education center a 1-million-dollar grant. Chair of the Gundersen Medical Foundation, Stephen Shapiro, says, “We have a long-standing relationship with the Anderson Foundation, and they’ve supported medical education in the name of rural training for a long time. And simulation is really important for people who go and work in the smaller communities in the rural areas. It gives them a chance to do important things that may not happen all the time.”

The project has been years in the making.

I have been looking at other simulation labs trying to figure out what we wanted to do here at Gunderson and I’m really excited to see it actually come into play.

The entire project cost a little over 1 million dollars and it is expected to be completed in February.

In La Crosse, Dashal Mentzel, First News at Nine.

The Education Center is the only simulation lab that Gundersen has. The building currently features a four-room simulation lab and a conference center.