Medical/Nursing/Allied Health Education

Bridgeport Hospital is addressing the growing shortages of healthcare professionals through its continuing commitment to training new physicians, nurses and other allied health professionals. In FY 2010:

• Bridgeport Hospital provided postgraduate residency training in Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Podiatry, Obstetrics/Gynecology and Radiology, and fellowships in Cardiology, Geriatrics, Interventional Cardiology Gastroenterology and Pulmonary Medicine. More than 116 new physicians participated in these programs in FY 2010 and 24 graduated. The cost of providing Graduate Medical Education at the Hospital exceeded Medicare reimbursement by an estimated $2,400,000.
• The Department of Medical Education’s 24th annual Science Symposium featured 24 original oral and poster research presentations by Bridgeport Hospital physicians, residents and other health professionals. The Health Science Library’s 13th annual Author’s Day, which was held on the same day as the Science Symposium included 83 journal articles, research papers and poster presentations, representing the work of over 100 Bridgeport Hospital clinicians.
• The Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing continued to offer 18-month accelerated and two-year registered nurse diploma programs. Eighty-seven students graduated from these programs during the 2009-2010 academic year. The School’s Surgical Technology Program had 11 graduates. Over 500 applications were received for nursing program and 60 for the surgical technology program for the fall 2010 semester. Full-cost scholarships were provided to 57 students at a cost of $307,737. Additional scholarships were provided by the Bridgeport Hospital Foundation at a total cost of $68,729.
• A shortage of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), is affecting the delivery of healthcare to a significant portion of the United States. To help address this shortage, the Bridgeport Hospital-Fairfield University Nurse Anesthesia Program graduated 12 students from the program in FY 2010. This is the only program in Connecticut to offer a master’s degree in nursing with a certificate in nurse anesthesia, which provides a more solid foundation for the evolving role of nurse anesthetists.
• A total of 200 students benefited from education or school partnerships that Bridgeport Hospital had with local high schools, colleges and universities. Examples include clinical rotations and internships in the laboratory, pharmacy, physical/occupational therapy, radiology, radiation therapy and respiratory therapy departments, mentoring, e-mentoring and shadowing programs. These programs exposed students to career opportunities in the healthcare field.
• Bridgeport Hospital offered nationally-certified full-and-part-time Clinical Pastoral Education Programs that provide pastoral care instruction in the Hospital setting to community clergy and religious laypeople. In FY 2010, 18 individuals completed the programs.