Tower Health and Drexel Celebrate ‘Topping Off’ at New Facility for College of Medicine

Tower Health and Drexel University celebrated an official “Topping Off” ceremony for the development of an additional site location of Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health, to be opened in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.

Consistent with social distancing restrictions, a small ceremony was held during which a handful of leaders from Tower Health and Drexel watched the placement of the final, 30-foot steel beam. Construction of the new facility is slated to be complete in time to welcome the first 40 students for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The structure consists of:

• 2,636,000 pounds of structural steel
• 3,109 pieces of steel
• 2,300 cubic yards of foundation concrete
• 290,000 pounds of foundation reinforcing bar
• 3,620 cubic yards of concrete
• 41 tons of reinforcing steel bar

Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health is one aspect of a 20-year academic affiliation agreement between Tower Health and Drexel University. This innovative partnership will bring together rigorous medical education from Drexel and a clinically advanced training environment at Tower Health’s flagship Reading Hospital to create a premier destination for physicians of the future. The new facility will feature state-of-the-art technology, as well as traditional classrooms, learning communities, and lecture halls, and a significant focus on wellness. It will include specially designed patient rooms, an anatomy laboratory, and simulation labs to help students advance their medical skills. When fully operational, the campus will have capacity to educate and train 200 medical students.

“The goal of our collaboration is not only to expand options for medical education in the area, but to improve access to care by creating a pipeline of highly skilled and trained physicians to support patients in our region,” said Clint Matthews, Tower Health president and CEO. “Today’s ceremony puts us one step closer to achieving that goal.”

John Fry, president of Drexel, added, “We are pleased to be joining the Berks County community with the addition of the Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health. We appreciate the ongoing support the local community has shown and look forward to training tomorrow’s physicians in this state-of-the-art facility.”

Construction on the facility continued during the recent stay-at-home order after receiving a waiver as an essential healthcare project. Equus Capital Partners, Ltd., Senator Judy Schwank, Representative Mark Gillen and Berks County Commissioners Kevin Barnhardt, Christian Leinbac, and Michael Rivera are among those who have been instrumental in supporting the project throughout its development.