ROCKLAND — The return of a pre-licensure nursing degree to the UMA Rockland Center has been met with enthusiasm by local health care providers and student applicants, according to UMA’s Rockland Center, in a news release. This 4-year baccalaureate program prepares students to sit for the NCLEX and enter the profession as registered nurses.

Admission to the program is highly competitive and interested students must meet specific criteria to be considered for admission, said UMA Rockland. Sixteen well-qualified candidates have been accepted into the UMA Rockland cohort for Fall 2019 and will start their course work in early September.

The deadline to apply for the Fall 2020 cohort is January 31. Admission criteria for both recent high school graduates and adult learners with prior college credits is available at www.uma.edu/admission/apply/.

“If interested students are thinking about applying for the Fall 2020 cohort, they should be talking to us now about how to prepare,” said UMA Rockland Director Deborah Meehan. “They can take courses this fall as early college students, or as adult learners, that will help to boost their admission standing for the next January review. Even if they are not quite ready to jump in 100%, there is a pre-nursing track where they can get started.”

Course work will be local at UMA Rockland with clinical experiences at Pen Bay Medical Center.

According to state data, Maine’s nursing shortage is expected to grow to 2,700 vacancies by 2025. UMA has expanded its nursing program into the Rockland area to address what is considered a workforce crisis.

One of the new Fall 2019 UMA Rockland Nursing admits is Allie Feener of Hope. “Our young family and our future are right here in the Midcoast,” she said. “The expansion of nursing into Rockland means I can pursue my dream of becoming a nurse and having a career helping people in this community.”

Academic advisors are available at the UMA Rockland Center to help interested students plan for a career in nursing. Free assistance is available and appointments may be made by calling URock at 596-6906.