Medical City: Growth. Progress. Impact.
The Burnham Institute for Medical Research was one of the first facilities to open in the medical city in April 2009. When fully staffed, it will employ more than 300 scientists and staff.
With the launch of the University of Central Florida Medical School this past month and the opening of the Burnham Institue for Medical Research building in the spring, the Lake Nona Science and Technology Park is poised to fuel a multi-billion dollar impact on the Central Florida economy. Lake Nona will be home to a medical city which assures to attract intellectual and talented visitors from around the world. Having a close proximity to resources that provide medical research in life sciences leads to the growing medical city becoming an intellectual hub for the southeastern region of the nation. Economic analysts predict that after 10 years of operation, the world’s newest life sciences cluster located in southeast Orlando could create 30,000 jobs and $7.6 billion worth of economic activity.
UCF welcomed its first class of med students August 3, 2009. “The effort to bring medical education to Central Florida was truly region wide,” UCF President John C. Hitt said. “This effort brought Central Floridians together as few other initiatives have done before, and the community’s united voice was heard from Miami to Tallahassee.”
Students will begin attending classes at the Lake Nona campus the summer of 2010.
The University of Central Florida Medical School welcomed its first class of medical students August 3, 2009. Students will attend class at the Lake Nona campus starting in the summer of 2010.
The medical school is one of five major establishments that make up medical city. The Burnham Institute for Medical Research East Coast Campus moved into their Lake Nona facility in April 2009. The work done at this research institute will focus on diabetes, obesity, metabolism and heart disease. This historical institution has plans to employ more than 300 scientists and staff in Lake Nona. Ground breaking also occurred this past June for the Nemours Children’s Hospital and Research Center. The 630,000-square-foot children’s hospital will have 95 beds and will be the core of a 60-acre pediatric health campus. Services such as a children’s clinic, emergency department, diagnostic and ambulatory programs and education and research centers will be available to the East Orlando community.
M.D. Anderson Orlando Cancer Research Institute (CRI) plans to relocate to the Lake Nona Science the Technology Park as well. They will reside in 30,000 square feet of the UCF Burnett Biomedical Sciences Building until the development and completion of their own facility is completed. Nemours and the VA Medical Center are scheduled to open in 2012. Completion of these two facilities will be like putting the final jewels in the crown of medical city. Together these extraordinary medical centers and hospitals are going to bring benefits to East Orlando residents for many years to come. Besides the enormous potential for job creation, the potential for entrepreneurs and specialized services of all kinds will be extensive.
Nemours Children’s Hospital and Research Center broke ground in June 2009 on its 630,000-square-foot facility.
The opportunities for businesses large and small are seemingly endless as the opportunities are not limited to the field of medicine, health, and sciences. Support services from office supplies to specialized IT firms will be needed. In addition, personal services such as hair and nail salons, fitness centers, and dry cleaners will be needed by all those employed in the medical city.
The impact of Lake Nona’s medical city on East Orlando is sure to be felt for many years. From providing jobs and entertainment to taking care of family members our residents are lucky to be a part of the hustle and bustle that is happening in our community.
Article by Evelyn Cichanowski
