The long waiting lists faced by prospective student nurses in California are well known across the country. Another country may be one of the answers to the problem.

As many as 40 bilingual students may leave the waiting lists at California colleges and head south of the border to Guadalajara, Mexico, to take classes. Being touted as a niche solution, officials in California realize creative measures need to be taken to move students from waiting lists to nursing programs. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the state fell short of its demand for new nurses by more than 3,000 in 2005-2006. In addition, more than 60% of qualified candidates were turned away from nursing schools last year due to a lack of space.

Opponents of the program that will send students to Mexico for one year say that students won’t acquire the same skill sets as at California colleges. Still, the program may begin as early as this coming January.

Sources: San Diego Union-Tribune and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation