2 minute read
Wake Forest School of Medicine
INNOVATION AND SOCIAL IMPACT. ”
- EUGENE A. WOODS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF ATRIUM HEALTH
NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL
A BEACON OF HOPE FOR CHARLOTTE REGION
In March, Atrium Health announced a 20-acre site in midtown Charlotte – at the current corner of South McDowell Street and Baxter Street – as the home of the second campus of the Wake Forest School of Medicine. The two medical school campuses in Winston-Salem and Charlotte will create a new, preeminent regional corridor for health technology and innovation.
“The four-year medical school will usher in a brand-new era of healthcare education, innovation and social impact,” said Eugene A. Woods, president and CEO of Atrium Health.
The new campus will be located less than three-quarters of a mile from Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, where extensive renovations are underway, ensuring students will have access to the most modern, state-of-the-art facilities and technology in all of their learning environments.
“This location for Wake Forest School of Medicine’s Charlotte campus will provide students the perfect mix of expertise,” said Dr. Julie Ann Freischlag, chief academic officer for Atrium Health and dean of Wake Forest School of Medicine.
In addition to the location of the medical school, Woods announced the establishment of the Bishop George E. Battle Jr. Endowment to support the continuing education of those who live in underserved communities. An emeritus member of the Atrium Health Board of Commissioners and Atrium Health Foundation, Bishop Battle is a lifelong advocate for at-risk youth and those economically disadvantaged. “We believe Atrium Health can play a significant role in providing equity in access to both healthcare and education,” said Woods.
Endowment Honors Community Hero
The Bishop George E. Battle Jr. Endowment was created to honor Bishop Battle’s longstanding service to Charlotte and to support the continuing education of those who live in underserved communities.
Through an initial seeding of $5 million, the fund will benefit those pursuing a degree in health sciences at an Atrium Health-affiliated college or university, including Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Carolinas College of Health Sciences and Cabarrus College of Health Sciences.
As part of its comprehensive philanthropic campaign launching this year, Atrium Health Foundation will engage the community to match the initial gift and create a $10 million fund by the time the first students are seated at the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Charlotte in 2024.
