UK partners with Transylvania University to address state’s health care workforce shortage
Kentucky Health News
As part of the University of Kentucky‘s Advancing Kentucky Together Network, UK and Transylvania University have entered into a partnership to address the state’s health care workforce shortage by allowing Transylvania students to transfer to UK’s College of Public Health’s master’s degree program.
The presidents of Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky on Wednesday, March 26, signed a memorandum of understanding that broadly outlines some of the initiatives the two institutions will jointly pursue, according to a UK news release.
Other projects include exploring potential outreach efforts in the Fayette County Public Schools, collaborating on education abroad and internship opportunities and sharing information through the institutions’ human resources areas around technology for employee onboarding and training and hiring needs.
“Ultimately, this is about empowering our students and strengthening our community,” Transylvania President Brien Lewis said in the release. “By combining Transylvania’s liberal arts foundation with UK’s research and professional programs, we’re creating unparalleled opportunities for our students, and enriching the entire commonwealth with a highly skilled and innovative workforce.”
Transylvania is the first educational partner in the Advancing Kentucky Together Network — an initiative UK announced in October at the direction of its Board of Trustees to address the growing health, education and workforce needs across the state.
“Today, we are formally joining with Transylvania University . . . in the shared goal and common commitment to meet the workforce needs of our state and, together, to make our home community of Lexington an even stronger and more vibrant community in which to live,” UK President Eli Capilouto said in the release.
Despite Kentucky’s economic growth, critical workforce shortages exist, especially around health care. UK HealthCare projects needing an additional 5,000 health professionals over the next decade and many counties across the state are also experiencing health care workforce shortages, according to the release.
The network’s first partnership was with Pikeville Medical Center.