The University of Idaho announced on Apr. 17 that it has secured approval from the Idaho State Board of Education for a proposed undergraduate medical education facility in Boise and formalized a new nursing partnership with North Idaho College.
These developments are intended to address the ongoing shortage of health care professionals in Idaho by expanding educational opportunities for future nurses and doctors. The university’s School of Health and Medical Professions is focusing on filling workforce gaps across the state.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between University of Idaho President Scott Green and North Idaho College President Nick Swayne on Apr. 15, establishing a collaborative Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) program. “This MOU builds on a strong and growing relationship between our two institutions,” Green said. “By combining U of I’s graduate-level academic programs with North Idaho College’s deep roots in nursing education and the Coeur d’Alene region, we are creating a pathway that will benefit students and patients alike for generations to come.” Swayne added, “North Idaho College has been training nurses for this region for decades, and we’re excited to take the next step with the University of Idaho… Together, we will help address the nursing shortage and improve access to care across northern Idaho and beyond.”
The DEMSN program, approved by the State Board in August 2025, targets students who already hold bachelor’s degrees outside nursing but wish to enter the profession at a graduate level. Applications are expected to open in Fall 2026 with classes beginning Fall 2027 in Coeur d’Alene.
On Apr. 15, approval was also granted for University of Idaho to begin designing educational space at Boise’s Idaho Water Center as part of its planned undergraduate medical education program developed with the University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. The design phase is budgeted at $467,045 out of an estimated total project cost of $3.8 million; no construction funding has yet been approved pending further approvals from state authorities.
Dr. Rayme Geidl said, “This approval allows us to keep pace with a very tight timeline while remaining fiscally responsible… Beginning the design process now ensures we are prepared to move forward if the program receives full approval and funding.” Russell “Rusty” Baker stated that these actions reflect what their school aims to do: “identify where Idaho’s health care workforce gaps are greatest and develop programs to fill them… Our vision is a school that prepares Idahoans for careers across the full spectrum of in-demand health care professions.”