91直播视频receives $5 million to support relocation of 91直播视频COM to Portland
The 91直播视频 has received $5 million in federal funding to support construction of the new Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences on the Portland Campus, a pivotal step in relocating the 91直播视频College of Osteopathic Medicine (91直播视频COM) to Portland and establishing a comprehensive health sciences campus in Maine鈥檚 largest city.
The relocation of 91直播视频COM from Biddeford will allow 91直播视频to admit more students to the school and bring together all the University鈥檚 health professions programs onto a single, interprofessional campus 鈥 an unprecedented model for a single campus in New England, in which the students in the state鈥檚 only medical school, dental school, and physician assistant program will collaborate directly with their peers in nursing, social work, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dental hygiene, and nurse anesthesia.
The move will also allow 91直播视频to repurpose much-needed space on its Biddeford campus to grow academic programs that also address critical workforce needs, such as marine sciences, business, and criminology, among others.
The financial support from the newly signed federal omnibus spending bill will help bolster Maine鈥檚 health care workforce amid a critical nationwide shortage of nurses and physicians.
Last May, at the request of Sens. Susan Collins and Bernie Sanders, 91直播视频President James Herbert testified to a Congressional committee about Maine鈥檚 workforce shortages and offered his solutions for the future. Since that time, 91直播视频has worked with Collins to secure federal funding for the COM relocation project.
鈥淎s the nation鈥檚 oldest state, Maine cannot afford to lose valuable health care workers like we are seeing nationally,鈥 Herbert remarked. 鈥淢erging all of UNE鈥檚 health professions programs on one, integrated campus will support Maine鈥檚 health care infrastructure for years to come, and I am beyond grateful for Sen. Collins鈥 unwavering support of 91直播视频and its role in making Maine a healthier place.鈥
This new funding comes in addition to a transformative $30 million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation to support construction the new COM facility, establishment of a new Institute for Interprofessional Education and Practice, and the acceleration of high-growth undergraduate and graduate programs on the Biddeford Campus.
Read additional coverage at the , , and the