UR Medicine Launches Tuition-free Nursing Education Program
To combat the region’s nursing shortage, the University of Rochester Medical Center and School of Nursing today announced an innovative program to provide a tuition-free nursing education for 33 students per year, with the first cohort expected to enroll in Fall 2023.
The UR Nursing Scholars Program will cover 100 percent of tuition costs for Accelerated Bachelor’s in Nursing (ABSN) students at the University, after passing their NCLEX-RN® licensure exam and in exchange for committing to work at participating UR Medicine facilities for three years after graduation. The full-time program enrolls students across three cohorts a year, with applications now being accepted for the fall 2023 semester. The first cohort will accept and match 10 UR Nursing Scholars with Strong Memorial Hospital and three scholars with Highland Hospital. Once accepted, students will receive funding in the form of a scholarship and a forgivable loan from the School of Nursing to cover all tuition costs. *
New York state faces a projected shortage of nearly 40,000 registered nurses by 2030 due to burnout from the pandemic, an aging population, and a wave of nursing retirements. University officials said they believe this program is the first to combine guaranteed employment as a registered nurse with a fully paid education for college graduates at a nationally ranked nursing school.
The 12-month accelerated Bachelor’s in Nursing program offers a unique opportunity for bachelor’s-prepared college graduates to pursue a second career in nursing. The program has attracted students from across the U.S. and New York with diverse backgrounds and experiences – some with previous careers in public health, business, or education. Each cohort is guided through a rigorous yearlong immersion into nursing, including 700 hours of clinical training in med-surg, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, and other specialties at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Students accepted to the UR Nursing Scholars program will work closely with a career coach to explore specialties and career opportunities in nursing. Scholars will also meet with nursing recruitment and retention offices to match their interests with an employment opportunity at participating UR Medicine facilities.
“UR Medicine hospitals are committed to offering all our nurses competitive pay and benefits, along with a supportive work environment, flexible scheduling to support work-life balance, and opportunities for growth,” said Karen G. Keady, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, vice president & chief nursing executive at URMC and assistant dean of clinical practice at the School of Nursing. “As our UR Nursing Scholars gain on-the-job experience, they will become eligible for tuition benefits to further their nursing education and advance their careers as far as they want to go, without ever needing to leave the University of Rochester Medical Center.”
Graduates then sit for the NCLEX-RN® exam to obtain RN licensure and start practicing as a nurse within three months of completing the program. Salary and benefits offered to UR Nursing Scholars will be competitive for new bachelor’s-prepared nurses.
*The condition of UR Nursing Scholars Program is that recipients will work full time in an eligible position at a University of Rochester Medical Center facility or Highland Hospital for three years. If students do not meet the condition of the scholars program, they will be required to repay loan funds as set forth in UR Nursing Scholars Program loan agreement.
2/16/2023
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