The College of Health Sciences at Lawrence Technological University opened on January 17.
The president of LTU, Tarek Sobh, said that the need for a fifth school was the driving force behind its creation. LTU has seen a rise in demand for digitally literate medical workers since it began providing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2017.
The College of Health Sciences was approved by the board of trustees in October 2022, and preparations for its administrative and budgetary launch in 2023 have already begun. Until further programs are selected and a permanent dean is hired, Richard Heist will serve as temporary provost.
Sobh explained, “We decided that it’s about time that we try to enter that area and establish these very-much-needed health sciences programs in which there is a workers shortage, while also ensuring that these programs that we establish in the health sciences provide the right technological background.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a premium on the nursing profession in recent years, contributing to the scarcity that Sobh mentions. In August of 2022, there will be 10.17 registered nurses for every 1,000 persons in the United States, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
From 2021-2031, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 13% increase in overall employment in health care occupations. Over the next decade, this growth will add two million employment.
Since its foundation in 1932, LTU has expanded to provide more than a hundred different courses with a focus on incorporating technological concepts. There are only 13 private, technological, comprehensive doctoral universities in the United States, and LTU is one of them.
The College of Health Sciences at LTU will offer a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies as well as a Master of Science in Health Care Administration, so says a news statement from the university.
Contractual obligations mean that the Master of Science in Cardiovascular Perfusion will continue to be housed in the College of Engineering, despite the new college’s affiliation with the degree.
Sobh argued that LTU’s technological superiority and drive to fill gaps in the workforce set it apart from other colleges in the state and the country that offer similar degrees.
In the year 2022, we had our second nursing class graduate. Meanwhile, we are acutely aware of the critical scarcity of PAs in the medical field. Therefore, last year we launched our master’s program in medical assistant studies and accepted our first cohort.
Again, this is due to our desire to address an unmet need in the healthcare sector. At the same time, we launched an innovative master’s degree program in cardiovascular perfusion just last year. It’s the only program of its kind in Michigan, and I believe there are only about fifteen or eighteen nationwide.
Sobh expressed optimism about the future of LTU, noting that the institution will have even more to offer in 2023 thanks to the inauguration of its newest college and the subsequent expansion of its academic offerings in that field.
“A lot of really cool stuff is taking place. We’re developing innovative new courses and increasing our campus-wide R&D and multidisciplinary offerings, he said.
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