Empire State University Partners with Premier Medical Group 

Empire State University has partnered with Premier Medical Group, a multi-specialty medical organization that serves communities throughout New York’s Hudson Valley. Born out of a shared commitment to workforce development and educational access, the collaboration connects Premier Medical Group employees, retirees, and household family members to SUNY Empire’s flexible online degree programs while offering an orientation fee waiver and a one-time $100 scholarship. Matriculated students may also earn credit for work experience, clinical training, professional development, military training, and/or prior learning—an important benefit that can both accelerate degree completion and reduce time and cost to graduation. 

With roughly 600 workers across multiple locations, Premier Medical Group is one of the Hudson Valley’s largest coordinated healthcare providers. The organization’s recently launched partnership with SUNY Empire aims to serve individuals at various stages of their careers, whether they be nurses, medical assistants, clinical support staff, or administrative employees.  

“Healthcare organizations across the country continue to face workforce shortages and increasing demand for skilled professionals. This partnership helps address those challenges by creating educational pathways that support employee growth, retention, and advancement,” says Alejandro Galindo, Empire’s assistant director for partnership engagement. “By making higher education more accessible for healthcare workers, we are helping strengthen the regional workforce while creating opportunities for individuals to advance their careers without leaving the communities they serve.”