Preparing students to be health care leaders
The University of New England's Westbrook College of Health Professions prepares students to be leaders in their health care fields.
UNE is one of a handful of private universities with a comprehensive health education mission including medicine, pharmacy, dental medicine, nursing and an array of allied health professions. The Westbrook College of Health Professions encompasses Applied Exercise Science, Athletic Training, Dental Hygiene, Nursing, Nurse Anesthesia, Nutrition, Occupational Studies, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Public Health, and Social Work.
Guided by faculty on the cutting edge of their disciplines, our students participate in clinical simulations, service learning activities, clinical rotations and other experiences that enable them to transition smoothly into the workforce upon graduation.
Our interprofessional education initiatives prepare future health care professionals to practice comprehensive and collaborative team-based care. Students from across our different health professions programs work beside one another as they treat patients, participate in simulations and conduct research. As a result, each student comes to better appreciate the roles played by the other members of the health care team.
Our Portland Campus is just minutes from Maine's leading hospitals and clinics, providing rich opportunities for students to carry the knowledge they gain on campus into the field. People from across Northern New England travel to Portland for medical services, and often their needs are met by UNE students.
Becca Kryceski '20
Why UNE
HWOS at UNE is great because it is like a family. It is a small major, and the professors know each student personally. There is a lot of camaraderie between students too. Everyone shares the same passion and goal of wanting to do occupational therapy or a related health profession. We all want to be able to help people and make a positive difference in the world.
Many of my classes are very hands-on. In Motor Learning Performance, one day of the week, we were in a classroom learning about different theories and learning styles. Then, another day our class was downstairs in the performance core playing touch football or doing another type of fun activity. For a few classes, we played volleyball, and each group of students had to teach the class the theories that we had learned in the classroom through the activity. It was a great opportunity to get out of the classroom, apply what we had learned while also having fun, and get to know fellow students better too.
Welcoming Community
I toured fifteen schools up and down the east coast. At first, I thought that I wanted a bigger state school because they have a lot of school pride, but then I just fell in love with the community here at UNE. I wanted a place where everyone knows each other, and that’s what I found. I sat in on an Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) class, and I noticed that [the professor][ knew absolutely everybody's name. He chatted with the girl who got there first, ten minutes before class started. He knew her name. He had a genuine interest in why I was there to sit-in on the class. He asked me about myself.
Because UNE is a small school, it is easy to dive into the community and connect on a very personal level with both professional staff and other students. I am deeply involved in Student Engagement and Admissions and have built my resume and grown through the positions that I hold in both.
Of course, I also love UNE’s location. I feel like everyone says that, but you can't beat having a beach right on campus with water surrounding you from all angles. The views are incredible.
I just fell in love with the community here at UNE. I wanted a place where everyone knows each other, and that’s what I found.
The UNE Portland Campus for the Health Sciences
For decades, UNE’s Portland Campus has been home to many of the University’s health professions programs including PA, PT, OT, pharmacy, nursing, dental medicine, and more. In 2025, UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine will move from the Biddeford Campus into the new Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences in Portland. By bringing our health professions programs together into one interprofessional learning community, we will establish UNE’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences as the center of health care education in Northern New England.
Learn about exciting changes on UNE’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences
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NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
The University of New England does not discriminate in admissions or access to, or treatment in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status, or disabling conditions in violation of federal or state civil rights laws of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.