WVU Medicine is planning a new nursing school, directly affiliated with its 23-hospital health system.
On March 8, the West Virginia RN Board granted provisional approval to the WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education. It will offer a 21-month diploma program, emphasizing clinical experience and hands-on learning opportunities in simulation and skill labs, according to a March 12 news release. At the end of the program, students will take the same licensing exams as two- and four-year nursing students.
Students can opt for tuition-free enrollment in exchange for a three-year working commitment at the Morgantown-based WVU Health System, which will also cover the costs of books, uniforms and other learning materials.
The 37,000-square-foot center will be located in the university's existing Innovation Center, and is designed to accommodate 200 students, faculty and staff. The plans account for social determinants affecting many students, and will include on-site study rooms, laundry facilities, a food bank and lactation rooms.
Tanya Rogers, EdD, MSN, RN, assistant vice president of nursing education at the WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education, will continue to lead the center's development. Its first cohort of 24 students is slated to begin in August 2025.