Fairleigh Dickinson University received a state funding of $753,000 to support the development and advancement of an Acute Care Simulation Clinic at the Metropolitan Campus to address health care workforce shortages and improve patient safety and outcomes.
This money will also support the efforts of FDU HealthPath Forward, an interdisciplinary initiative launched to tackle the growing crisis of health care workforce shortages through training programs, strategic industry and community partnerships, and the integration of cutting-edge technology into healthcare education.
“We are honored by this important appropriation that will make a significant difference for the next generation of healthcare professionals,” FDU President Michael Avaltroni said. “Fairleigh Dickinson University is taking a primary role in shaping the future of health care education and this grant recognizes our commitment to that goal and will help further our progress in this critical realm. We greatly appreciate the support by the state to expand our efforts.”
“Fairleigh Dickinson University is working hard to bolster our health care workforce, and this new Acute Care Simulation Clinic will greatly advance their mission,” New Jersey Senator Gordon Johnson, who sponsored the budget resolution, said. “Providing students with the opportunity to gain realistic, hands-on training in a safe environment will give them the expertise and confidence needed to succeed in today’s healthcare landscape. Our hospitals, patients and communities will all benefit from the highly skilled professionals this lab will help develop.”
The clinic will be housed in Dickinson Hall and will be managed by the Henry P. Becton College of Nursing and Allied Health — one of three FDU colleges united in the division of FDU Health.
The Acute Care Simulation Clinic comes at an exciting time when FDU’s nursing programs are seeing highest-ever levels of student success; The school’s radiography, medical imaging, clinical laboratory science and other allied health programs are in great demand; and the university is also preparing to launch the first program in northern New Jersey to prepare respiratory therapists at the bachelor-degree level.
The Acute Care Simulation Clinic will feature state-of-the-art technology in a space that replicates a real-world urgent care patient bay, providing interprofessional students with a safe environment to practice teamwork and develop skills in assessing patients with chronic medical conditions, including those with superimposed acute illness.
“This FY2026 state appropriation of $753,000 will provide the next generation of health care professionals with the essential tools and knowledge needed to address the acute healthcare needs of patients and help alleviate workforce shortages,” Avaltroni said.
