MUSC College of Health Professions Celebrates Grand Opening of New Facility

The Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Health Professions (CHP) celebrated the grand opening of CHP-D, a new six-story facility that reflects the college’s continued growth and strengthens its ability to educate future health professionals, advance rehabilitation research and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

CHP-D is the fourth building in the college’s portfolio. Its first four floors opened to students earlier this year, and construction of the fifth and sixth floors was recently completed. The facility includes flexible learning spaces, simulation and laboratory environments, technology-enabled classrooms, advanced research facilities and collaborative work areas designed to support education, scientific discovery and cross-disciplinary work.

“CHP-D represents an important investment in the future of health professions education and research,” said Zoher Kapasi, PT, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Professions. “This building provides the space and resources our students, faculty, and researchers need to learn from one another, pursue new ideas, and translate knowledge and discovery into meaningful improvements for patients and communities.”

The building supports students pursuing careers in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and health sciences and rehabilitation research. Its flexible educational environments are designed to accommodate lectures, hands-on instruction, simulation, and collaborative learning. The facility also supports post-professional education, providing opportunities for practicing clinicians to develop additional and specialized skills and prepare for roles as leaders, educators and innovators.

In addition to supporting education and professional development, CHP-D is home to nationally recognized rehabilitation and health sciences research programs focused on improving function, independence, participation and quality of life for people with neurological conditions and disabilities.

Located on the second floor, the Center for Rehabilitation Research in Neurological Conditions (CRRNC) conducts research addressing health, employment, longevity, and community participation among people with disabilities resulting from neurological conditions. The center also supports education and mentorship and translates research findings into resources for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and individuals managing long-term health conditions.

The building’s fifth and sixth floors house the Clinical Research Center for Restoration of Neural-Based Function in the Real World (RENEW) Center. The approximately 24,000-square-foot research center brings together neuroscientists, clinicians, engineers, rehabilitation scientists, and behavioral health researchers to study physical, cognitive and psychosocial function in real-world environments.

RENEW’s laboratories are organized into four integrated research areas: neural function, physical function, psychosocial function, and innovation and technology. The center provides capabilities supporting neural recording and neuromodulation, movement and mobility research, cognition and behavioral health, virtual reality, technology development, and in-home and telehealth research.

“RENEW was designed to bring together the people, technologies and research capabilities needed to address complex rehabilitation challenges,” said Steven A. Kautz, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Health Sciences and Research and director of the RENEW Center. “This shared environment will support interdisciplinary research and help accelerate the development of approaches that improve function and independence in people’s daily lives.”

The opening also recognizes the generosity of Tina and Ricky Doscher, whose transformational $10 million gift is the largest in the college’s history. Their gift supports research, education and patient care, including neurological rehabilitation research, emerging college priorities and the MUSC Neurological Exercise and Training (NeXT) Wellness Center. The CHP-D lobby is named in their honor.

By expanding the college’s educational and research capacity within one facility, CHP-D provides new opportunities for students, educators, clinicians and researchers to collaborate across disciplines. The building will support the preparation of future health professionals, the development of new knowledge and the translation of research into approaches that improve health and quality of life.