Keck School of Medicine Dean Carmen Puliafito, M.D., ushered in a new era for the medical school’s historic affiliation with Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center on Sunday, Oct. 5, with a reception honoring the soon-to-be-opened 600-bed replacement hospital.

Nearly 500 attended the event including Keck School alumni, faculty, staff, and students joining administrators and staff of LAC+USC.

Dean Puliafito welcomed guests and remarked upon the opening of the new facility, where Keck physicians will begin treating patients in the new inpatient tower in November:

“This is a great event for the community of Los Angeles, for the citizens of Los Angeles County, for the patients served at this facility,” said Puliafito.

He discussed the special place of LAC+USC in the region, over its many years of providing high-quality care to all Angelenos, whatever their means. Calling the new public hospital “breathtaking,” Puliafito said it looked like a hospital serving an upper middle-class community. “No community in the United States has made this level of commitment to its people,” he said.

Puliafito reflected upon the longstanding association of the medical school and the medical center dating back to 1885. He reminded the assembled audience that the Keck School of Medicine currently has almost 1,000 residents and fellows working in the hospital.

“Everywhere I go, when I tell people that I have something to do with the USC medical school, the discussion always comes back to the very special place that County has played in the history of USC medicine,” he said. “So many of the physicians that live and work in California were trained here and [many of the physicians] throughout the United States.”

Following Dean Puliafito’s remarks, guests were invited to take a sneak peek at the new facility. “Amazing,” “Efficient,” “Well-organized,” and “State-of-the-art” were a few of the words most often overheard in the hallways of the new facility, as guests browsed through the units and waiting rooms.

“This is beautiful,” said alumnus Jerry Andes, M.D., class of 1960. “I have a private practice in Fullerton, but I’d rather practice here. This is superior in design and efficient. I’m proud of USC and what they’ve done and what I see here.”

“I’m overwhelmed,” said alumnus Donald Seidman, M.D., class of 1959. “If I get ever get sick, I’d love to come here.”

“This is state of the art,” said second-year resident Catherine Lin, M.D. “I feel very privileged to provide care at LAC+USC and look forward to working here.”

Second-year Keck medical student Elliott Birnstein exclaimed: “This is amazing. I can tell a lot of time and effort went into this. The hands-on experience was a big reason I came [to the Keck School] to study and I’m really looking forward to working here.”

“This [facility] is better organized and designed for efficiency. Medical students will be at great advantage training here,” said alumna and Keck faculty member Karen Tsoulas, M.D.

The event followed an open house a day earlier for the new LAC+USC hosted by Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, and attended by local community members, community leaders, Los Angeles County employees, and others.

A pictorial of the days events is available online at: www.usc.edu/hsc/info/pr/LACUSC/USC_Open_House.html.