Delaware is one of only four states without a medical school, but Delaware State University and ChristianaCare are talking about changing that.
A ChristianaCare spokesperson says there are no specific plans to announce yet, and a partnership with DSU is “very much in the early stages.” They add the partnership will be a natural extension of their already long standing relationship.
The discussions don’t include brick-and-mortar plans, since DSU recently acquired the old Wesley College Campus and may have the room already between its existing campuses. ChristianaCare is looking to expand existing education infrastructure and create more opportunities for Delaware students.
ChristianaCare is one of the largest community-based teaching hospitals conducting research in the United States and already serves as an affiliate of Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, which reserves 20 admission spots for Delaware students each year as part of the Delaware Institute of Medical Education and Research program, and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
In a letter to the university community on Tuesday, DSU President Dr. Tony Allen said the nursing shortage in Delaware and throughout the nation continues to grow, and that the field needs more diversity to reflect the communities it treats.
Allen adds the university has not made any final determinations and are still determining if DSU and ChristianaCare will be the right partners.
