The U of L's Community Cebtre for Wellbeing will be transformed into the new Medical Education Facility. (Photo: University of Lethbridge)

By David Opinko

U of L hires architects to design new Medical Education Facility

Jul 31, 2025 | 3:10 PM

Work will now begin to reimagine a familiar space at the University of Lethbridge (U of L) into one that will train the region’s soon-to-be doctors.

The university has selected design firm DIALOG to create the home of the Southern Alberta Medical Program (SAMP).

It is a partnership between the U of L and the University of Calgary’s (U of C) Cumming School of Medicine, which will allow students to earn a U of C medical degree while completing their learning in Lethbridge.

The current Community Centre for Wellbeing will be transformed for the program, including teaching areas, an anatomy lab, and a new clinic to support hands-on learning.

Dr. Richard Buck, Associate Dean for SAMP, says this is about creating the right space for future physicians to learn, grow and serve their communities.

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“Our entire approach, from curriculum to clinical placements, has been built to reflect the demands and opportunities of rural and regional medicine. We’re excited to welcome students who feel called to serve rural and regional communities, and to support them with a space built for that purpose,” says Buck.

Yvonne Choe, Architect and Partner at DIALOG, says their team was inspired by the program’s mission to train doctors in the places where they are needed the most.

“We approached this project with the goal of creating a space that feels rooted in the land and culture of southern Alberta, while advancing health-care education,” says Choe.

Admissions for the SAMP opened late last week.

The first cohort of students is expected to begin the program in July 2026, but the university says the Medical Education Facility will open in July 2027.

Classes for the program’s first year will take place in a temporary space within the Faculty of Health Sciences in Markin Hall.

READ MORE: Admissions now open for U of L’s Southern Alberta Medical Program