Loyola University Maryland to Partner With Mercy Medical Center for New BSN Program

The faith-based institutions' collaboration would grow Maryland's nursing pipeline.

Loyola University Maryland is collaborating with Mercy Medical Center to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program to help stem Maryland’s nursing workforce shortage.

Mercy Medical Center will provide clinical placements at its downtown Baltimore campus, in addition to other resources and support.

Loyola has formally requested and is awaiting a recommendation for implementation from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).

The four-year undergraduate BSN program would be available for new incoming Loyola undergraduate students in the fall 2025.

"Loyola’s mission to prepare graduates for lives of meaningful professional service and leadership calls us to address the critical need for new nursing graduates in Maryland," said Terrence M. Sawyer, JD, president of Loyola University Maryland. "Through this step, Loyola would help address the critical shortage of registered nurses in Maryland and the nation."

A report commissioned by the Maryland Hospital Association projects a shortfall of 13,800 RNs by 2035 in Maryland alone. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an average of 203,200 openings for RNs each year across the United States through 2031.

Loyola already enrolls about 600 pre-health students each year who take its natural and applied sciences courses, which include biology, chemistry, forensic studies, and pre-health sequences.

"Loyola is a proven leader, known for graduating young people who excel in the sciences. At our Jesuit, Catholic liberal arts university, our students also benefit from a rich, values-based core curriculum that helps them become the ethical, compassionate, analytical leaders needed in healthcare," said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, PhD, NCC, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

"This proposed major is a natural extension for Loyola, especially as our Jesuit mission calls us to graduate leaders who are capable of meeting the needs of our community," she said.

Loyola and Mercy have a shared history as faith-based, mission-driven institutions committed to the city of Baltimore.

"As a community teaching hospital, Mercy is excited to partner with Loyola University Maryland to begin building a leading nursing program amid the ongoing nursing shortage in Maryland," said David N. Maine, MD, president and CEO of Mercy Health Services.

"Our shared mission of service, core values, and Catholic identity form a strong foundation to build an exemplary academic program," he said. "This promising collaboration will generate a new pipeline of high-quality nurses."