The Duke University Board of Trustees on Saturday approved plans for constructing a new 102,000-square foot facility that will connect to the Duke University School of Nursing Christine Siegler Pearson Building.

The new building will house Duke’s School of Nursing, the School of Medicine’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, and Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Construction is scheduled to start this month and be completed in the fall of 2019.

“I am very pleased that the Board of Trustees approved the plans for this new building,” said Marion E. Broome, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean and Ruby Wilson Professor of Nursing, Duke University School of Nursing, Vice Chancellor for Nursing Affairs, Duke University, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for Nursing, Duke University Health System. “Once this project is complete, the School of Nursing and School of Medicine will continue to expand its interprofessional efforts by providing unparalleled educational excellence, leading research and clinical expertise to our students and the community.”

The five-story building will replace the one story, 14,000-square foot Elizabeth C. Clipp Research Building. The School of Nursing will occupy 50 percent of the new building, and will be home to the School’s Ph.D. Program, Center for Nursing Research, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Student Services, Duke Health Center for Inter-Professional Education, simulation suite and more.

In addition to serving as the new home for Duke’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, it will also house administration and Graduate Medical Education offices for the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

“This new building is tremendously important to the continued growth of our nationally recognized Doctor of Physical Therapy program, which has been located off-campus for many years,” said Dr. Mary E. Klotman, dean of the Duke University School of Medicine. “In creating a campus presence, the Physical Therapy students will strengthen important connections to clinical services and campus life, and will allow us to evaluate program expansion in the near future.

“The ability to co-locate with the School of Nursing also allows us to focus on a new office of Interprofessional Education which will teach students the value of patient-centered care across multiple medical disciplines.”