Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health and Monmouth University have entered a wide-ranging affiliation agreement that includes clinical placement opportunities for students and access to urgent care services.
Leaders from the organizations signed the agreement July 30. The collaboration includes clinical placement opportunities for students in nursing, physician assistant, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, social work and mental-health counseling programs.
HMH will place a full-time clinical academic placement coordinator within Monmouth's School of Nursing and Health Studies to manage the placement of students and new graduates.
"Through the placement program, students will gain valuable experience within the HMH system," Robert Garrett, HMH's CEO, told Becker's. "This, in turn, could make these students more likely to consider HMH for employment upon graduation, aiding in recruitment and promoting long-term retention."
The agreement also establishes HMH as a preferred provider for urgent care when the university's health center is closed. The two will also partner on efforts to support student wellness, including annual wellness programming. HMH is also sponsoring a student wellness center on the Monmouth campus, slated to open in 2026.