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The new �鶹Ӱ�� Early College of Health Sciences – a partnership of �鶹Ӱ��, �鶹Ӱ�� Public Schools and Duke Health – is actively recruiting its first class of students for when the school opens in fall 2025.

Enrollment for the new early college opens in January for current eighth-grade students in �鶹Ӱ�� County. The school will eventually serve students in grades nine through 12.

The Early College, which will initially be housed in a temporary location while its permanent site is being built on the �鶹Ӱ�� campus, will enable students to simultaneously earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree or workforce credential for aligned health care occupations in nursing, clinical research, surgical technology, or allied health. Upon graduation, qualified students will have an immediate opportunity to pursue jobs or research roles at Duke Health or with other health care employers.

The innovative partnership among �鶹Ӱ��nical Community College, Duke Health and �鶹Ӱ�� Public Schools was made possible through a $29.5 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to establish an early college for high school students interested in pursuing health care careers upon graduation.  

The grant was one of only 10 awarded nationally through Bloomberg Philanthropies’ “Student-centered, Market-driven Healthcare Education Initiative.” The initiative’s goal is to address critical healthcare workforce needs while preparing young adults for successful careers in the field.

“This partnership is about much more than an innovative educational approach,” said �鶹Ӱ�� President J.B. Buxton. “It’s about creating a high-quality pathway to some of the most important jobs in our community. It’s about making sure our healthcare workforce looks like the patients it serves. It’s about improving the quality of patient care and the health outcomes for all. It’s about the role of education and health in improving people’s lives.”

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