APSCU Releases White Paper on PSCUs in Health Care, Responding to CAP Report

APSCU recognized the Center for American Progress (CAP) yesterday for the fairness and balance taken in a study on the role of private sector colleges and universities in educating the healthcare workforce, and released its own report with more comprehensive data.

APSCU released a white paper to clarify certain statements in the CAP Report, to address points on which it disagrees, and to provide information not included in the CAP study that is important to the public’s understanding of PSCUs in healthcare workforce education.

Among the facts included in the APSCU white paper:

· PSCUs are playing an important role in educating healthcare workers today. PSCUs award 32 percent of the graduate, undergraduate and certificate degrees in the federal government’s health professions and clinical services categories;
· PSCUs are growing to meet future healthcare workforce demands. From 2001-2009, the growth in PSCU awards in nursing training grew from four percent to 11 percent of the national total, while nursing awards from public institutions shrank from 78 to 70 percent;
· PSCU healthcare programs have expanded despite numerous structural impediments that slow the creation of new healthcare programs and additions to existing programs. These barriers include ceilings placed by licensing boards, a lack of clinical training opportunities, certification programs that disallow PSCU graduates from sitting for tests, arbitrary refusal by traditional colleges and universities to accept transfer of credit and other factors;
· PSCU healthcare programs match market requirements and student capabilities. Many high school graduates lack a strong foundation in science, technology, engineering and math. PSCU students gain STEM learning and know-how not delivered in high school and go on to build important STEM related careers;
· PSCU healthcare students find jobs in high numbers. Nationally accredited PSCUs must meet graduation and career placement rates to remain eligible for Title IV student aid program participation. Student performance on state licensing tests is an additional indication of education quality. Data in the CAP report show that PSCU nursing students in four selected states pass nursing exams at rates substantially similar to their traditional school counterparts.

A copy of the APSCU white paper is available here.