UPMC Health Sciences Tower to create pipeline for nurses

The UPMC Health Sciences Tower is officially open bringing health sciences and advanced manufacturing training to Harrisburg. 

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and UPMC dedicated the 11-story building at 222 Chestnut St. In downtown Harrisburg Sept. 13, that will provide a new pipeline for nurses. 

The Health Sciences Tower features skills labs, simulation spaces, state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, classrooms and auditoriums that support education and research in advanced manufacturing, pharmacology, exercise science, physical therapy and the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg.   

“The UPMC Health Sciences Tower is not just a building. It represents the culmination of years of dedication, hard work and collaboration among countless individuals and organizations,” said Eric Darr, president of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. “It symbolizes a beacon of hope for our community, signifying our commitment to innovation and excellence in health care and advanced manufacturing.” 

New labs feature 3D printers, machining equipment, industrial and collaborative robots, workstations for 2D and 3D modeling and computer programming, manufacturing systems and pneumatic/hydraulic automation trainers.   

The tower also houses the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg which was launched in August 2022 to offer a 16-month accelerated diploma program for registered nurses (RNs).  

Two floors of the building are dedicated to high-tech classrooms, skills labs and realistic simulation labs to prepare students for their clinical rotations, UPMC said. 

Graduates who pass the RN licensing examination will be eligible to earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing from Harrisburg University while maintaining full-time employment. 

“UPMC’s partnership with Harrisburg University is changing the landscape for health care,” said Dr. Jason Marx, president of Physician Services at UPMC in Central Pa. “Together, we’re creating a new pipeline for nursing, providing new opportunities for innovation, offering space for growing programs, and achieving collaboration between students, faculty, and health care professionals in ways that are unique to our institutions.”  

In addition, the Health and Innovation Training Center located in the tower provides opportunities for collaboration with medical providers and external partners to provide medical education and an onsite training hub for the region, UPMC said.  

UPMC physicians have already begun to use the spaces to train residents, support fellowship programs and provide innovative spaces for research. The academic spaces are outfitted with technology that will enable researchers, educators and trainers to broadcast medical training across the country and internationally.