How has the partnership between Seton Hall University and Hackensack Meridian Health
to launch a School of Medicine changed since it was first announced?
From the beginning, the two partners knew that opening a new School of Medicine would be an incredibly complex project, requiring tremendous investment and coordination.
Throughout the process, both parties recognized and agreed that certain aspects of
this joint venture might have to be reconfigured as it progressed. As the process
continued to evolve, it became increasingly clear that the original form of the relationship
should be revised.
As a result, we have restructured our agreement and Hackensack Meridian Health assumed
complete financial responsibility for the School of Medicine beginning on July 1,
2018. Eventually, the school will be administered solely by Hackensack Meridian Health
after a defined transition process. Until the transition is complete, Seton Hall will
retain the academic responsibilities for operating the school, will be in charge of
developing its innovative interdisciplinary curriculum, will facilitate financial
aid, and will issue diplomas to medical students upon graduation.
Will the partnership between the two institutions continue after the School of Medicine
transfers to Hackensack Meridian Health?
Seton Hall’s strategic academic partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health is comprehensive
and will continue well beyond the School of Medicine’s transition. As part of this
ongoing partnership, the University’s nursing and health science students will continue to study and train alongside students from the medical school on the new IHS campus. In addition, our nursing and health science students will have
broad access to train at Hackensack Meridian Health’s 16 hospitals in the state, four of which are ranked among the top 10 in New Jersey. Lastly, 25
percent of each incoming class for the medical school will be reserved specifically
for Seton Hall students, a valuable benefit in the very competitive environment for
medical education.
How do these changes effect Seton Hall’s College of Nursing and School of Health and
Medical Sciences (SHMS)?
Although the College of Nursing and SHMS are located on the IHS campus, they remain 100 percent under the control of Seton
Hall. This means student scholarships, financial aid, accreditation, academic control,
etc. remain the same. The only difference for these students is the location of the
two schools. Our nursing and SHMS students still study alongside the medical school
students and will greatly benefit from the interdisciplinary learning environment.
This innovative team-based training reflects the future of healthcare delivery and
Seton Hall is one of the first universities in the world to blaze this trail. This
new approach will vastly improve cooperation and communication among health professionals
and greatly strengthen patient care.
Are there any new programs being launched in connection with this effort?
Seton Hall has created a new joint M.D. degree program for our undergraduate students, which allows them to seamlessly transition from a
bachelor’s degree in any major at Seton Hall to the M.D. program at the School of
Medicine. The program provides admission to the School of Medicine to all students
who meet the program requirements. In addition, 25 percent of the incoming class for
the medical school will be set aside for qualified Seton Hall graduates (from the
joint degree program as well as regular graduates, beginning this year).
How are the services of the Registrar, Financial Aid and Billing offices be provided?
College of Nursing and School of Health and Medical Sciences students on the IHS campus
are eligible for the same scholarships and financial aid as students on the South Orange campus. The administration of all financial aid will
take place on the South Orange campus as most students access their aid via PirateNet
online, the phone or email. There is part time representation of Financial Aid personnel
on the IHS campus to assist students.
Billing will be coordinated from the South Orange campus as most of these transactions
occur online via PirateNet. During peak periods, the Bursar’s Office will send representatives to the IHS campus to meet with students.
The Registrar’s Office also will be available on the IHS campus to assist students with registration, withdrawals,
graduation, curriculum, grading, etc.
Is security provided on the IHS campus?
Public Safety/Security are situated at the IHS campus. In addition, all those entering
the building must card swipe their HMH/SHU IDs to gain access to the building. They
can be contacted at (973)542-6600.
What are the housing and transportation options for students at the IHS campus?
There is no residential housing on the IHS campus. Undergraduate nursing students
may continue to live on the South Orange campus while taking classes on the IHS campus.
Graduate students enrolled on the IHS campus are responsible for securing their own
housing. The University has partnered with an online service, Places4Students, which
provides local residential listings as a convenience to Seton Hall students, faculty
and staff at the IHS campus.
All students are required to provide their own transportation to the Interprofessional
Health Sciences campus as well as transportation to their clinical experiences. An
NJ Transit bus stop is located in front of the campus and the travel time is approximately
1 hour and 15 minutes from Seton Hall’s South Orange campus via bus.
What is the plan for parking?
To park on the IHS campus, students and faculty must purchase a special parking tag.
This parking tag allows individuals to park on the South Orange campus as well. All
students taking courses at the IHS campus can have cars parked on either campus.
What are the IHS campus facilities and dining options?
In addition to classrooms, state-of-the art labs and faculty offices, the IHS campus
features a chapel, library, quiet study areas, coffee shop, cafeteria, vending machines,
self-service meal preparation area and mailroom. In addition, the local Nutley/Clifton
area has many restaurants, cafes and other dining options within a few blocks of campus
and many provide free delivery to the campus.