President Paula Milone-Nuzzo reflects on the changes the MGH Institute has experienced during her first five years of leading the school.

They say as you get older, the time seems to go by faster. That is certainly the case for me.
 
I have just celebrated my five-year anniversary as President of the Institute, and I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by. Maybe it was because of a global pandemic that arrived just two years into my presidency and still lingers with us today. Perhaps it was because of a major social change that made us question everything we do around equity and inclusiveness in our culture and at the IHP.
 
Both major changes in our world have had an impact, but I believe the most significant variable affecting the passage of time for me has been the progression and growth of the IHP over these last five years. 
 
When I arrived in August 2017, I came to a great academic institution with strong academic programs, a budding research enterprise, stellar faculty and staff, and exceptional students. Why make any changes?
 
We knew that healthcare delivery was rapidly evolving, and it was critical that we keep up with that transformation. We also knew that higher education, including health professions education, was evolving—so to remain competitive, the IHP had to evolve as well. We had a strong foundation on which to grow and change, and that is what we have done over this past half-decade.
 
Undeterred by what was going on in the world, or perhaps spurred by it, the IHP is on the cutting edge of health care and health professions higher education. Our place within Massachusetts General Hospital and the Mass General Brigham system has given us a unique advantage to develop new master’s programs in Healthcare Leadership, Healthcare Digital Analytics, and two nursing leadership degrees—Nursing Administration and Nursing Education—and research that aligns with the best hospitals in the world.
 
Our faculty have emerged as leading voices in their fields in such media as the New York Times, American City Business Journals, Inside Higher Ed, STAT, CNN, STAT, ICBS Boston, and NBC Boston. And we are building and rebuilding connections with new and existing international partners to expand our reach and impact around the world in such countries as Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
 
Our researchers are developing the science that will improve the lives of children, and the clinical care of people with chronic and acute illnesses. We are helping our students with more on-campus support services and creating resources for people in our community with food insecurity. Our Center for Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health is leading the way to mitigate the critical climate-induced health issues facing our planet and our population.

These are just a few of the examples of how the IHP is on the cutting edge of health care and health professions education. Along with this innovation, we remain committed to our core mission of preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders to provide care for a diverse society.
 
I have been honored to serve as President for the last five years and look forward to a very productive future.

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It was August 2017 when the Dean of Penn State University’s College of Nursing took over as President of MGH Institute of Health Professions, capping off a months-long national search. From the day Dr. Paula Milone-Nuzzo stepped on campus five years ago, the MGH Institute has been on an upward trajectory, increasing its brand awareness, expanding the campus footprint, strengthening partnerships within the Mass General Brigham system, and shoring up finances while augmenting academic offerings.

2017-2022 By the Numbers