SHANDS Healthcare is affiliated with the University of Florida Health Science Center, and is known as one of the premiere health systems in the Southeast. SHANDS Healthcare is a Level 1 Trauma Center serving North Central Florida since 1958. At the University of Florida, SHANDS is well-known for groundbreaking medical advances. As an academic medical center, SHANDS at UF is often the first in the state of Florida, region, or nation to pioneer complicated medical procedures. The UF HSC has expanded since 1956 into the most comprehensive academic health center in the Southeast. The “center” now encompasses six colleges, a statewide network of affiliated hospitals and clinics, including SHANDS Healthcare as the flagship teaching hospital and the neighboring Veterans Affairs Medical Center of Gainesville. The Health Science Center is dedicated to enhancing healthcare through high-quality programs of patient care, education, research and outreach services throughout Florida.