Virtua Health and Rowan University today announced the signing of an Affiliate Agreement to create a new University Health System and further distinguish South Jersey as a regional hub for innovation, research and clinical discovery.
This partnership between the top 100 public research universities and the largest health system in southern New Jersey will create the Virtua Health College of Medicine & Health Sciences at Rowan University. The new college will include the state’s only school of osteopathic medicine; an expanded school of nurses and paramedical professions; a new school of translational engineering and biomedical sciences; several new research institutes; and harmonized clinical practices to improve patient care and train the workforce of tomorrow.
Virtua Health makes $ 85 million philanthropic investment in Rowan University to create an endowment that will help support the partnership, fueling investments in faculty, educational programs and building a cutting-edge research center .
The two organizations share a global commitment to improving the health of New Jersey residents and to creating a series of meaningful opportunities to:
- educate and train the next generation of physicians, nurses and allied health professionals in the state;
- innovate by researching, developing and testing new therapies, treatments and models of care; and
- increase health equity by meeting the needs of underserved people in the region.
“The best health systems in the country are paired with great research institutions,” said Ali A. Houshmand, president of Rowan University. “Virtua Health is one of the state’s premier health care providers. To have earned Virtua’s trust and to be the partner they choose to invest in is great. We are proud to share Virtua’s values and vision and to see a future where we can make a difference together. This historic donation and our partnership will transform the two institutions. “
“There has never been a more defining moment for our two respected organizations to come together to transform and reinvent the future of healthcare and the healthcare workforce than today,” said Dennis W. Pullin, FACHE, President and CEO of Virtua Health. “This affiliation will further strengthen our relationship with Rowan so that we can innovate around the training of the doctors and healthcare professionals of tomorrow and the critical research that will impact the future of healthcare in this community. I am excited about the useful things we will do together and the lasting impact, here for good, that our efforts will have in New Jersey and beyond. “
“This partnership between two leading institutions will be for the betterment of South Jersey, its health and its economy,” said Senate Speaker Steve Sweeney. “Both management teams should be commended for their bold vision to become stronger and better – together. “
Benefits for South Jersey
Rowan and Virtua will collaborate to bring together leading clinicians and scientists to improve care delivery, medical innovation and education for New Jersey. The first three research institutes will focus on cardiovascular disease, solid organ transplantation and regenerative medicine, and primary care.
To further its goal of becoming a national leader in healthcare and biomedical research, the new college will recruit 50 new faculty researchers, including basic scientists and clinicians, over the next 10 years.
“This expansion is expected to generate more than $ 225 million in new research grants by 2032,” said Tony Lowman, president of Rowan University. “This research will focus on the application of technologies in practice and have a significant impact on patient care and place Rowan among the leading R1 research institutes in the country, representing the highest level of research activity in the institutions. academics. “
Plans also include the construction of a new facility to support basic, translational and clinical research.
The partnership also integrates the Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing with the Rowan University School of Nursing & Health Professions. The collaboration will allow Bachelor of Nursing (BSN) students to apply through a single application process. Classes will be delivered through a 3 + 1 program offered in conjunction with Rowan College of South Jersey, Rowan College in Burlington County and Camden County College, allowing students to earn a bachelor’s degree at a relatively low cost. low.
One of the first results of the collaboration between Rowan and Virtua is the Nurse nurses program, which was announced during the graduation ceremony of the Notre-Dame de Lourdes nursing school in mid-December. Nurturing Nurses invites registered nurses employed by Virtua to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at Rowan University and have the tuition paid by Virtua.
“Nurturing Nurses is an inspiring example of the immediate impact of this partnership. We are creating a pipeline of talented healthcare professionals while making our region a sought-after destination for rewarding education, ”said Reginald Blaber, MD, executive vice president and clinical director of Virtua. “The community will also benefit; this collaboration promises to improve patient care and outcomes.
Streamlined access to bachelor’s and master’s degree programs will support the professional development and career advancement of nurses employed by Virtua and Rowan with seamless coordination between classroom and clinical experience.
Additional programs for allied health professions will be developed based on the workforce needs of the community.
Partnering with Rowan, Virtua also plans to expand its post-graduate medical education program to train the workforce of the future and support clinical rotations for medical students.
“As the University’s primary teaching affiliate, Virtua Health will provide essential and life-saving clinical experience for undergraduates in medicine, nursing and other health professions to meet the needs of the New Jersey into highly skilled healthcare workers, ”Pullin added. “Our intention is for this investment to catalyze health science research as well, leading to greater public and private funding for research and scholarship support for students most in need.”
“A strong public-private partnership will better support Rowan’s growing Faculty of Osteopathic Medicine and complement the University’s existing partnerships, enhancing research opportunities and investment,” Houshmand said. “Our educators, researchers and healthcare professionals will be able to work together to develop and deliver therapies that improve lives and solve problems for our neighbors and countless others that we may never know.”
