Jefferson University expansion to build Lehigh Valley health care professional pipeline

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To meet what is expected to be a critical demand for nurses and other health care professionals in the Lehigh Valley, Thomas Jefferson University plans to expand its academic programs into the region. 

Dr. Susan Alderidge, president of the university, noted that research it conducted after merging with Lehigh Valley Health Network showed there will be a strong demand for such care givers. 

“Hundreds of new nurses will be needed every year,” Alderidge said. “This impacts access to care and the ability to serve patients.” 

Beginning this fall, Jefferson College of Nursing will broaden its footprint by offering onsite nursing education at the Lehigh Valley Health Network Center for Healthcare Education in Center Valley, Pennsylvania. A full-time DNP–Nurse Anesthesia program will be offered at this location, along with a suite of online graduate programs — including a Master of Science in Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Adult Gerontology-Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Additional programs include a PhD in Nursing, an RN-to-BSN program, advanced certificates, and more pending accreditation. 

“Our primary goal is to fill the jobs that are needed,” Aldridge said. 

The process of attracting and promoting talent will come in many forms. 

She said a major component is building on the skills of the care givers already working in the community so that they can advance their careers. 

For example, the university will launch an online Associate of Science program in Paramedicine.  

“Paramedics in the Lehigh Valley don’t usually receive academic credit despite extensive training,” Alderidge said. “This will create a direct pipeline into other professions.” 

The program will award up to 30 academic credits for prior paramedic certification and training, creating an accelerated pathway for paramedics to earn a college degree and advance their careers.  

Graduates will also receive direct admission into any of the College of Health Professions’ online bachelor’s degree programs, with all associate degree credits applied toward degree completion.  

Among them is the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy, which creates a pipeline to address the critical need for respiratory therapists in the Lehigh Valley area. 

In late summer, Jefferson will open a satellite respiratory therapy laboratory at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest, where students can complete lab work and hands-on clinical training at Jefferson Health–Lehigh Valley Region hospitals while completing didactic courses online.  

Respiratory therapy students maintaining a 3.5 GPA or higher will receive waived admission into the MS in Cardiovascular Perfusion or MS in Physician Assistant Studies programs in Jefferson’s College of Health Professions. 

During the 2025–2026 academic year, eight physician assistant students and more than 80 Sidney Kimmel Medical College students are completing clinical rotations at Jefferson Health–Lehigh Valley Region hospitals, with participation expected to more than double in 2026–2027. 

That represents a second part of the effort – bringing health care students into the Lehigh Valley to get experience and hopefully decide to start their career locally, Alderidge said. 

But because of the very diverse housing needs that students and residents will need while learning in the Lehigh Valley, Alderidge said part of the expansion is working with area property owners to make sure the students and residents have the appropriate housing. 

For example, she said, some students are taking six-week courses and may only need housing for that period of time. Others may need rental agreements for six months or a year. 

Having property owners willing to work with the students’ rental needs is key to helping them succeed in their education here, she said. 

Not only will such housing availability enhance interprofessional education, bringing students to places like Allentown will help with the downtown’s economic and cultural momentum, she added.   

Dr. Joseph G. Cacchione, CEO of Jefferson, called the expansion an important part of the health network’s mission. 

“Our expansion into the Lehigh Valley reflects Jefferson’s continued commitment to improve lives by providing high-quality education and training, while also establishing innovative solutions to address vital healthcare needs, improve workforce development and drive economic revitalization in the communities that we serve,” said Cacchione.