UW aims to speed up healthcare licensing process for students

The state’s licensing agency and the Universities of Wisconsin are working together to facilitate the licensing process for students entering healthcare fields, the two announced last week.

Under the agreement, the university system will have limited access to the Department of Safety and Professional Services’ online occupational licensing system.

That will allow UW representatives to verify students’ graduation dates and program completion as well as monitor progression through the licensing process.

The universities will also be able to save time by notifying the department of graduations through a “batch” process for each graduating class, rather than submitting individual statements of graduation for each student applying for licensure, according to a statement.

The department piloted the program at UW-Milwaukee School of Nursing. It’s expanding it to all health-related programs at the system’s 13 campuses.

“Wisconsin is in a war for talent,” UW President Jay Rothman said. “This collaboration has so much potential.”