Young, who will begin his new position in March, comes to Louisville from Memphis, most recently serving as director of operations/technology and business development for the Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

With more than a decade of expertise in academic health care simulation, he will lead the design, development, integration and strategic direction of the Academic Simulation Center. Young received a bachelor of science in biomedical engineering from the University of Alabama Birmingham, and master of business administration degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

“This position will be vital to promoting a contemporary, innovative and impactful Simulation Ecosystem for UofL,” said Jeffrey Bumpous, executive vice president for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. “We are fortunate to have Jarrod Young, an established leader in health sciences simulation, to make the center a learning, research, workforce development and community engagement powerhouse for the region.”

Young said the leadership and vision of the university and local clinical partners shows that Louisville is committed to impacting the future of health care by investing in interprofessional education and training.

“I am honored to join the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center as we collectively aim to support the future of clinical education and patient care through health care simulation,” Young said. “My vision is to support the current health care simulation experts at the university with my knowledge and experience growing a large health science simulation center into a world-class program.”

The new $280 million building on the Health Sciences Center Campus will house the Academic Simulation Center as well as serve students and faculty from UofL’s Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry and Public Health and Information Sciences. The space will foster collaboration that supports goals of the university’s and contribute to the elite level of health care education in the region. The university plans to complete the building by fall 2029.Ěý

Since its inception, the WHAS Crusade for Children has provided nearly $20 million in grant support to UofL and , fueling groundbreaking research, innovative education and expanded access to high-quality care for children with special needs.

This year, that legacy of generosity continues with more than $325,000 in new awards supporting programs and equipment that directly improve the lives of children and their families:

• $200,000 for new equipment in  Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• $50,000 for equipment at
• $22,500 for equipment in the 
• $30,000 to support the UofL 
• $22,000 for special education scholarships in UofL’s

This support has touched nearly every corner of the university — from classrooms to clinics, and from local outreach programs to statewide initiatives — making a lasting impact on Kentucky’s most vulnerable children and their families.

“On behalf of the University of Louisville, I extend heartfelt thanks to the WHAS Crusade for Children for their extraordinary generosity and decades of unwavering support,” said Jeffrey Bumpous, UofL executive vice president of health affairs and medical school dean. “Together, we are transforming lives, strengthening families and building a brighter future for children throughout the commonwealth.”

The latest investment from the Crusade will further elevate UofL and UofL Health’s ability to educate the next generation of health professionals and expand innovative care to more children and families in need.

“The partnership between the WHAS Crusade for Children and the University of Louisville is proof that this community’s generosity truly changes lives,” said Dawn Lee, president and CEO of WHAS Crusade for Children. “UofL continues to transform grants into care, research and education that make life better for children with identified needs. This legacy has opened doors for generations of children, and the best is yet to come.”

For more than 30 years, the partnership has not only brought critical resources to special needs children, but has also helped advance UofL’s and UofL Health’s missions of improving the quality of life for the communities they serve.

“This enduring partnership demonstrates the power of philanthropy and collaboration,” said UofL Health Interim CEO Jason Smith. “From education and research to compassionate, hands-on care, the WHAS Crusade for Children’s generosity has improved lives across the Commonwealth.”

The Board of Trustees today named Jeffrey M. Bumpous, MD, the university’s new executive vice president of health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, effective July 1. In addition to providing strategic leadership and financial oversight for the medical school and its academic programs, clinical activities and research, the EVP/dean will strengthen the partnership with the university’s primary provider affiliate, , one of Louisville’s largest employers. Bumpous will work closely with UofL Health’s CEO to ensure continued financial stability and advancement of both organizations’ respective missions, while advancing the goal of creating an interdependent, shared academic health enterprise.

“I am confident Dr. Jeffrey Bumpous is the right leader at the right time to further advance the tremendous partnership between the University of Louisville and UofL Health,” said UofL President Kim Schatzel. “Both institutions are critical to address the crisis of health care workforce shortages and ensure Kentuckians in both urban and rural areas have access to high-quality health care.” 

Bumpous, an otolaryngologist – head and neck surgeon, has served as UofL’s interim School of Medicine dean and vice president of academic medical affairs since June 2023.Ěý He earned a doctor of medicine degree at UofL and has been a faculty member since 1994. He is the J. Samuel Bumgardner Professor and chairman of the and is an associate clinical director at UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center.Ěý 

“This appointment is a testament to Dr. Bumpous’ courageous leadership and commitment to advancing medical education and research at UofL,” said Gerry Bradley, provost and executive vice president. “He has the deep respect of his colleagues and will continue to prepare students for success in a rapidly changing clinical environment.”

“I want to thank our state leaders for recognizing the importance of investing to improve access to innovative cancer care, education and research,” said, University of Louisville President. “Building this new regional site for our Brown Cancer Center extends opportunities to benefit from our expertise, research and innovative clinical trials. Kentuckians, particularly in our rural counties and mid-sized cities, need better access to those resources.”

Kentucky has the highest death rate of cancer in the U.S. (182.8 deaths per 100,000 total population), and almost 10,000 Kentuckians die of cancer each year. Twice as many Kentuckians died of cancer than of COVID-19 during the past three years, and cancer rates are expected to increase by 50% in the next 20 years. Cancer health care costs in Kentucky are $2.74 billion per year, while productivity losses from morbidity and early deaths in Kentucky cost an additional $3.1 billion per year.

“This will make a great addition to the newly opened hospital here in Bullitt County providing cancer research, training and treatment for the whole state,” said Kentucky Sen. Michael J. Nemes. “This location, along the I-65 corridor, will mean much easier access to quality cancer care for thousands of Kentucky residents. This is one of those transformational projects that will lead to better health outcomes, some that could mean the difference in life-or-death treatment.”

“As the new representative for the 26th District, I was extremely proud to vote on this budget which included $25 million for the cancer center on the UofL Health – South Hospital campus,” said Kentucky rep. Peyton Griffee. “Bringing the cancer center here is a game-changer for Bullitt County and so many more rural counties that will now have closer access to cancer treatment and research. The health and well-being of our citizens will continue to be a priority for me and our General Assembly.”

Subspecialty cancer care with comprehensive clinical trials programs and multidisciplinary clinics has been proved to reduce cancer deaths. Currently, there are no comprehensive cancer centers outside of Lexington and Louisville that offer multidisciplinary subspecialist care, clinical trials, access to state-of-the-art screening, and educational and support programs for cancer patients.

“Improving access to health care is our steadfast commitment to the commonwealth, especially in areas that are underserved,” said Tom Miller, UofL Health CEO. “I applaud our elected leaders for working with us to reduce barriers to cancer care for patients in our more rural communities.”

Patients from south, central and western Kentucky have relied on the Brown Cancer Center for a long time. In the last year alone, the Brown Cancer Center’s oncologists saw patients from nearly every Kentucky county, including more than 15,000 outpatient encounters from south, central and western Kentucky.

“The Brown Cancer Center has one unifying mission: To make cancer a disease of the past,” said , director of the Brown Cancer Center. “We are getting closer to that goal and this new regional cancer center brings cutting-edge cancer care and lifesaving clinical trials closer to more Kentuckians.”

The new cancer center will serve as a network base for clinical trials, enhanced nursing/physician educational programs, cancer screening and outreach with partnering oncologists throughout the region. These academic pursuits will be integrated with the Brown Cancer Center’s comprehensive and multidisciplinary programs which attract cancer patients come from all over the United States for second opinions and innovative and highly effective treatment options that are not available at any other cancer centers in our region.

“After my diagnosis of a rare form of melanoma, my close-to-home treatment options were very limited,” said patient Chris Sutton, from Eddyville in rural western Kentucky. “My physician in Paducah referred me to Dr. Chesney. I was fortunate to be able to make the 400-mile round trip every three weeks, but other rural Kentuckians are not. This new center is an important first step to bringing the Brown Cancer Center’s world-class care to more Kentuckians. It will truly save lives.”

Initial plans include space for 20 infusion rooms, five exam rooms, oncology pharmacy and a diagnostic imaging suite. An education space will include a lecture hall, video conferencing space and conference rooms; training for oncology nurses and physicians in clinics; and offer rotations with community oncologists from south central and western Kentucky. A research laboratory for specimen processing and research space for data collection will support cancer clinical trials and translational research.

“For more than 30 years, the  has been UofL’s partner, the outreach and community screening arm of the Brown Cancer Center,” said  interim dean of the UofL School of Medicine and UofL Physicians head and neck cancer surgeon. “łÉČËÖ±˛Ą, screening and outreach have always been an important part of our mission to serve the underserved. This new Center for Rural Cancer łÉČËÖ±˛Ą and Research will put us closer to community oncologists and underserved patient populations.”

A patient wellness center, in collaboration with the Kentucky Cancer Program, and a cancer screening program connecting primary care providers to innovative screening technologies will provide additional cancer outreach and education to south, central and western Kentucky.

Final design work is underway on the new cancer center, with a groundbreaking expected in the next 12 months. The anticipated opening will be in early 2026.

For more information on UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center visit, .

The Central High School gives west Louisville students an up close and personal experience with a career in medicine. Students shadow UofL doctors during rounds at , scrub into operating rooms and witness surgeries. They also get to practice performing simpler procedures, like sutures, through this immersive curriculum.

The program launched in the fall semester of 2022, making this the second white coat ceremony to date, but already, the program’s success cannot be underestimated. Leaders like Edward Miller anticipate nearly 75% of students who receive their white coat will continue their journey towards a profession in a health care-related field.

“For two years now, we have witnessed and will continue to witness the changes this program makes to our community,” said , UofL Physicians – OB/GYN & Women’s Health and assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health at the UofL School of Medicine. “We’ve already connected dozens of students to meet, work with and befriend doctors, nurses and so many more health care professionals, and eventually that number will turn to hundreds, then thousands. These students will no longer be able to say that they have never seen a doctor that looks like them.”

As juniors in this program, these students rotate through each of the core medical clerkships from OB/GYN to emergency medicine in an effort to learn which field best suits them. In their senior year, they’ll get to choose which area of medicine they wish to pursue for their future and have one-on-one mentorship with leaders in those specialties.

“This program is an extension of the commitment to transform the health of our community by engaging with the next generation of health care professionals,” said . “We want to share our passion to care for people, hoping to inspire more students to consider nursing, medical school and other health careers at UofL Health.”

This year’s white coats were donated by Humana. Each one placed on the shoulder of a student serves as a reminder of ambitions that can be fulfilled. This historic partnership connects UofL Health, Central High School, UofL School of Medicine, the Falls City Medical Society and Humana to encourage the future generation towards a career in the medical field.

“The White Coat Ceremony is a true testament to the opportunities that can be achieved through collaboration and a commitment to the success of our city’s youth,” said Jeffrey Bumpous, MD, interim dean of the UofL School of Medicine. “Part of our mission is to educate the next generation of physicians and contribute to the health and wellness of the community—locally, regionally, nationally and globally. Thanks to partnerships like this driven by our Office of Community Engagement and Diversity, our faculty physicians can engage the next generation of health care professionals.”

The pre-medical pipeline program offers educational opportunities, college credit and hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships. At the end, students will be equipped with knowledge, resources and mentorship to lead the change for this community.

“Donning a white coat holds special significance for our students,” said . “Being viewed as a member of the UofL Health team is a tremendous opportunity as our students get hands on experience with the doctors and other health care professionals whose footsteps many of them hope to follow.”

Students in the Central High School Magnet Career Academy are selected for admission through a competitive process with over 100 applicants that includes achievement test scores, grade point average, personal essays and teacher recommendations. Central has the second-highest number of Governor’s Scholars in the district. Central is one of two high schools in Kentucky to offer Montessori education.

The pre-medical magnet program starts accepting applicants in a student’s freshman year. For more information on how to apply, .Ěý

To donate to the program, .