Jefferson College of Health Sciences

Jefferson College of Health Sciences is dedicated to giving students a high-quality healthcare education built upon a well-rounded, interprofessional approach. Students use the tools, skills, and experiences we give them to achieve lifelong success.

Jefferson College of Health Sciences traces its history back to when the Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing was founded by Dr. Hugh Trout, Sr., an early pioneer of healthcare in the Roanoke Valley. Dr. Trout, Sr. founded the school to satisfy a need for trained nurses in the Southwest Virginia area, and his first graduating class exceeded expectations.

Today, we stay true to our roots of graduating top nurses and healthcare students who are highly sought after in our communities, hospitals, and medical networks.

Jefferson College of Health Sciences prepares, within a scholarly environment, ethical, knowledgeable, competent, and caring healthcare professionals. We believe that excellence in education encompasses all delivery methods and promotes:

• Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional learning.
• Diversity of person and thought.
• Personal and professional integrity.
• Commitment to lifelong learning.
• Advancement of knowledge through scholarship.
• Holistic development of the individual.
• Participation in the local and global community.

Jefferson College of Health Sciences will be nationally recognized as an institution of choice for education in the healthcare professions.

We are located in historic and beautiful downtown Roanoke within walking distance of numerous restaurants and one of the oldest outdoor markets in Virginia. The College is less than a mile from Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and numerous other outstanding clinical sites. The main College campus is located at Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital (CRCH) In addition, there are parking garages and additional parking lots available in several adjacent areas.

Classrooms, located throughout the campus, are wired for Internet access. And electronic classroom, skills laboratories and science laboratories for chemistry, microbiology, physics and anatomy and physiology are found at CRCH. Clinical laboratories are housed at CRCH for Respiratory Therapy, Health & Exercise Science and more. The College's well-equipped laboratories are designed to prepare students to work in today's healthcare environment. All administrative and offices are located at CRCH.

Our Core Curriculum is designed to ensure that each degree offered includes a general education component designed to provide a breadth of knowledge from humanities and fine arts, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics. For students with demonstrated focus and drive, an invitation to the Honors program at Jefferson College of Health Sciences brings incredible opportunity.

With a focus on cultivating intellectual curiosity and developing momentum to pursue long-term academic goals, you’ll collaborate one-on-one with highly regarded faculty members. Adding depth to your education, there’s a valuable emphasis on ethics, communications, and cultural experiences. You’ll participate in special learning experiences designed to give you an edge as you pursue scholarships, awards, graduate programs, and career opportunities.

Jefferson College of Health Sciences’ Professional and Continuing Education provides non-college credit bearing courses and seminars that support the mission of the College. The courses and seminars are designed to provide lifelong learning opportunities for healthcare professionals or provide entry level professional knowledge and skills necessary for individuals desiring to enter the healthcare workforce.

The College offers a variety of professional and personal development programs. The College is approved to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for courses that meet the required criteria. Additionally, programmatic recognition and or accreditation is maintained for all courses that require either approval or accreditation status.

Jefferson College of Health Sciences is a private, health sciences college offering master's degrees in Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Physician Assistant, baccalaureate degrees, and associate degrees in healthcare. As a proud affiliate of Carilion Clinic, we are fully integrated with one of the largest health systems in Virginia.

High-quality education, sought-after graduates, unique hands-on experiences — there’s something for everyone at Jefferson College of Health Sciences. Here’s what you need to know about getting started at Jefferson College.
You know you want a career in healthcare. Jefferson College of Health Sciences now offers you the opportunity to earn your degree or certificate with Jefferson Online—our distance learning option.

Scholarships are a way to minimize the cost of your education. In this section, you’ll find resources to help in your search for scholarships that work for you. In addition to what is listed here, Military personnel and Veterans can search our Veteran-specific resources.

Students come to Jefferson College for many reasons—high-quality healthcare education, top faculty, small class size, state-of-the-art labs, Carilion Clinic—but what they also find is a rich culture, active lifestyle, and people passionate about what they love to do, whether it’s in the operating room or on the Appalachian trail. When we say there’s something for everyone, we mean it.

Clubs and organizations are a fantastic way to get involved. You’ll connect with classmates both in your area of study as well as other disciplines, faculty, and the community. Our downtown location and access to culture in and around Roanoke gives our students the advantage to enhance their education with culture and arts. You’ll find an amazing collection of restaurants, shops, museums, galleries, concert venues, and more.