RIT & RGHS Alliance

Published Oct. 16, 2009

Under the umbrella of a new strategic alliance, RIT is Rochester General Health System’s official academic affiliate and RGHS is the university’s official affiliated medical center.

As technology continues to transform biomedical science, academic areas like computing and information sciences and digital imaging offer increasing relevance to future advancements in medicine. RIT and RGHS will collaborate on education and research programs in these and other key areas - a collaboration that will include mutual access to each institution’s expertise and facilities. Areas of collaboration include engineering, microsystems, medical imaging and medical device research.

“Rochester General Hospital and its affiliates take great pride in being nationally recognized for clinical excellence, and we are committed to identifying ongoing opportunities to deliver the highest quality care and service for our patients,” says Mark Clement, president and CEO of Rochester General Health System. “A strategic alliance that allows both RGHS and RIT to leverage our combined knowledge and resources opens yet another channel to the rapid advancements in biomedical sciences and biotechnology, and may have a very positive impact on the care we deliver.”

The alliance offers broader application opportunities to faculty and students in existing RIT academic areas such as medical illustration, biomedical photographic communication, medical informatics, physician assistant education, medical sonography, biomedical science and technology, biochemistry, health management and public health policy.

RIT and RGHS already have many points of connection. Currently, RGHS provides approximately 42 percent of the clinical training placements for students in RIT’s Physician Assistant program. A number of the program’s clinical instructors and adjunct faculty are affiliated with RGHS. RIT students in the diagnostic medical sonography program train in the Radiology and OB/GYN departments at Rochester General, and the majority of sonographers on staff trained at RIT.

“Biomedical science is fast becoming a kind of information science in which RIT's expertise in areas such as information technology, nanotechnology, robotics and imaging can play an increasingly important role,” says RIT President Bill Destler. “This alliance will build on these and other strengths to create tremendous opportunities for our students, faculty and staff, as well as the Greater Rochester community.”

WEBSITE: www.rit.edu/affiliate/rghs/