Growth and Change
Academic offerings over the years have changed in response to the health care environment. Some programs have closed – social work, dietetics, clinical investigation, and medical imaging – while several new ones have been created.
Students were first admitted to the Graduate Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 1991 and to the entry-level physical therapy program in 1995. The Doctor of Physical Therapy in 1999, when the first online courses were also offered.
The MGH Institute celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2002 with the dedication of the Catherine Filene Shouse Building, its new home in the Charlestown Navy Yard.
In 2007, the school created one of the country's first four accredited Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs. The next year, the Institute inaugurated an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree to meet the demand of filling more than 100,000 nursing vacancies nationwide.
In 2009, the Graduate Program in Nursing became the MGH Institute School of Nursing, and the Communication Sciences and Disorders and Physical Therapy programs became departments and were organized into a School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
In 2011, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges re-accredited the Institute for another 10 years. The school launched the Center for Interprofessional Studies and Innovation to foster entrepreneurial activity, innovation, and collaboration between faculty and students in the Institute’s academic disciplines. Enrollment exceeded 1,100 for the first time, while the number of alumni passed the 4,000 mark.
In 2012, the Institute expanded into a fourth building adjacent to the U.S.S. Constitution, better known as "Old Ironsides." The school also launched an interdisciplinary PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences program and an interprofessional Master of Science in Health Professions Education, and the School of Nursing added a second admission cycle to the BSN program to meet rising demand.
In 2013, the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education approved an entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy, the first entry-level OTD degree in New England. The Institute also school received provisional approval for a Master of Physician Assistant Studies program.
In 2014, the first students enrolled in the OTD program, while the School of Nursing programs and the Doctor of Physical Therapy program were re-accredited for another 10 years. The school added 14,000 square feet to create the new Center for Health & Rehabilitation Research to accommodate faculty researchers who are leading the Institute’s growing focus on research.
In 2015, the Institute expanded into its seventh building by adding a Library and Study Commons, giving it close to 140,000 square feet—almost tripling the amount of campus space since 2007. Research funding grew to $4 million, while the first students enrolled in a new Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. The student population topped 1,500 for the first time.
In the MGH Institute's 40th anniversary year of 2017, the first classes of students in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy and Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies programs began.
In 2018, the IHP launched the Center for Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health, the first nurse-led initiative to combat the effects of global warming.
The Institute expanded its educational offerings in 2019 when it launched three new degrees: a PhD in Health Professions Education, a Master of Science in Genetic Counseling, and a post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy. The school created a new Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and hired its first director. A student was chosen to deliver the keynote address at Commencement for the first time in school’s 42-year history.
A world-wide novel coronavirus pandemic that reached the United States in early 2020 significantly altered the Institute’s operations. Classes and departments across the Institute moved to a virtual format in March to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The school created several task force committees to ensure students could continue their education while providing faculty, staff, and students with the support needed to work from home using Zoom and other online communication methods. Faculty used a variety of innovative teaching techniques to make their instruction more dynamic and interactive. The virus also caused the 2020 Commencement ceremony to be moved from May to August, and held virtually.
As vaccinations to inoculate people became readily available in 2021, the Institute began to reopen campus. Students and faculty returned, using safety precautions such as wearing masks and remaining six feet away from others during clinical experiences, while didactic classes remained online. A new President's Council was formed to help advance the school’s story and strengthen involvement in the communities it serves. The 2021 Commencement again was held virtually in August due to the pandemic.