SAULT STE. MARIE -- Sault College is launching a new nursing program with a focus on international students who have a head start in the medical field.

The one-year graduate program in acute and critical care at the college is aimed at international students who have already earned nursing accreditation outside of Canada.

“Our international team has already been conversing around the globe about the program and we’ve had a lot of interest,” said Marilyn King, dean of Health Services at Sault College. “And already I’ve gotten some interest from some nurses that are here in Canada who have come from another country.”

Sault Area Hospital is a partner of the college’s nursing program. Officials there said the new course will help address a nursing shortage.

“We’ve suffered over this last year with delayed graduation for some of our nursing students, so I think this will be excellent to bring in our international students that are trained as nurses and this will prepare them to work in Ontario,” said Karen Guzzo, director of Acute Care and Collaborative Practice at Sault Are Hospital.