Community Corner
MGH Institute Enrollment Continues 6-Year Surge, Tops 1,400-Student Level
The Boston health sciences graduate school, located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, is thriving.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing students (l-r) Kaitlin Walker, Jenna Busa, and Missy Stewart take a break in-between classes.
The number of students attending MGH Institute of Health Professions in Charlestown has increased for the sixth consecutive year.
A total of 1,403 students are studying nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, health professions education, and rehabilitation sciences at the health sciences graduate school.
The student population is an 8.75 percent increase over last year, reflecting continued strong demand for the school’s programs. Since 2009, the number of students has increased 68 percent.
“There is a tremendous demand for new health care professionals, and the MGH Institute has continued to position itself to help meet that need,” noted President Janis P. Bellack, PhD, RN, FAAN.
Since 2008, school leaders have responded to high numbers of students seeking a health care career by either increasing enrollment in existing programs, or creating new degrees. This year, the school enrolled its first Doctor of Occupational Therapy students, the only entry-level doctoral program in New England.
Previously, the school – the only degree-granting affiliate of Partners HealthCare System – added a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and a Master of Science in Health Professions Education. The direct-entry 14-month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing has proven to be so popular that a second yearly cohort of students was created to meet the demand.
Students in the Institute’s entry-level and direct-entry programs have a bachelor’s degree, most often from a non-health care field.
President Bellack cited the pending retirement of much of the country’s health care workforce, the aging of the Baby Boom generation, and changes due to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act among the reasons for the MGH Institute’s growth.
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Additionally, the school’s excellent academic reputation continues to attract highly qualified college graduates who desire to become a health care professional, mid-career individuals who are looking to change their careers, as well as current health professionals who want to advance their careers.
According to U.S. News & World Report:
• The entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy is ranked 1st in New England, and is tied for 7th in the country:
• The entry-level Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology is ranked 2nd in New England, and is 25th in the country; and
• The direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing is ranked 3rd in Greater Boston, 4th in New England, and is in the top 10% of programs in the country.
In addition, the MGH Institute is the only Boston school to have been named to the Honor Roll by the Chronicle of Higher Education in its yearly Great Colleges to Work For survey. The Institute has been named a Great College for five consecutive years.