A new four-year nursing program is coming to the University of Illinois Springfield. It will be the first medical major the campus is offering.
UIS is teaming up with Memorial Medical Center, which will provide teaching facilities and 2 million dollars in scholarships and funding to get the program started, as well as the U of I's Chicago campus, which already has a highly ranked nursing program.
Faculty from UIC will teach students in Springfield. UIS Chancellor, Susan Koch, says this is an important addition:
"State government is no longer the number one employer in our region. Healthcare is, and the demand for highly educated medical professionals in this community has never been greater."
Ed Curtis is Memorial's CEO, he says Memorial has a 6% vacancy for nurses and that number is growing.
"There are more people seeking services in healthcare. Nursing is at the forefront."
The nursing program starts in fall 2015, and about 30 students are expected to enroll. Those who are successful will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
