We are grateful for the generous supporters who help move our mission forward through philanthropy. The following spaces — created with the purpose of using innovative simulation techniques to educate the next generation of skilled, compassionate and patient-focused health care professionals — were made possible through philanthropic support.
Anaclerio Learning and Assessment Center
Dr. Angelo Anaclerio and his wife, Alberta, have led lives defined by service and care for others. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of his graduation from the UF College of Medicine, Dr. Anaclerio and his wife made a transformative gift to establish the Dr. Angelo and Alberta Anaclerio Learning and Assessment Center in the George T. Harrell, M.D., Medical Education Building.
The space facilitates learning through a collaborative and team-based approach, allowing students to apply their skills and knowledge in the context in which they will practice safe, effective and compassionate patient care. The center includes 18 patient examination rooms with cameras, write-up stations and consultation areas; two hospital rooms identical to UF Health Shands Hospital patient rooms; and a technical command center supporting video recording and remote assessment.
Upon receiving his medical degree from UF in 1962, Dr. Anaclerio began a career marked by innovation, excellence and philanthropy. He founded a successful ophthalmology practice in Danville, Illinois, where he practiced for more than 35 years. From his early endorsement of advanced techniques in cataract surgery to his pioneering use of lasers to reduce the invasiveness of eye procedures and speed patient recovery time, Dr. Anaclerio always focused on the best possible outcome for those under his care. His patient-centered approach, coupled with his strategic business processes, are strong testimony to the educational traditions of the UF College of Medicine: innovative, collaborative and compassionate care.
Louis H. Oberndorf Experiential Learning Theater
Lou and Rosemary Oberndorf believe in the power of technology to advance medical education. Through a generous gift to the Harrell Medical Education Building, they established the Louis H. Oberndorf Experiential Learning Theatre. The state-of-the-art space can offer dozens of configurations and hundreds of scenarios to teach students and professionals complicated, high-risk skills through simulation technology.
Oberndorf’s first experience with UF came in 1994, when he was vice president of a defense and aerospace technology firm and was introduced to the Human Patient Simulator, which was invented by a team of UF anesthesiologists and engineers. After licensing the Human Patient Simulator technology from UF, he founded Medical Education Technologies Inc., which became the world’s leading health care simulation and education company.
UF Health Shands Experiential Learning Center
The board of UF Health Shands Hospital embraced the Harrell Medical Education Building’s mission to provide a state-of-the-art facility that transforms how health professions students learn by naming the UF Health Shands Floor and UF Health Shands Experiential Learning Center.
The space includes a mock operating room identical to a UF Health Shands Hospital operating room and allows learners to enhance their skills in application and problem-solving through experiential learning in a dynamic environment using state-of-the-art technologies.