Oct 15 (Reuters) - Adtalem Global Education ( ATGE )

said on Wednesday it will partner with Alphabet's

Google Cloud to launch an artificial intelligence credential

program aimed at students and healthcare professionals to use AI

tools in clinical practice.

The program, set to debut in 2026, will provide students and

practicing clinicians across Adtalem's network, including

Chamberlain University and Walden University, with hands-on

experience using Google Cloud's AI tools, such as Gemini models

and Vertex AI services.

Adtalem said participants will complete coursework covering

AI applications in clinical practice, ethical considerations,

patient safety protocols, and hands-on experience with

healthcare-specific AI tools commonly used across hospital

systems and clinical practices.

The initiative comes as hospitals invest heavily in AI to

ease staffing shortages, but many physicians and nurses remain

unprepared to adopt the technology, said the healthcare

educator, which serves more than 91,000 students across its

institutions, and has around 365,000 alumni.

Michael Betz, Adtalem's chief digital officer, said the

"partnership with Google Cloud gives our students a competitive

edge in their careers - whether they're treating patients,

providing mental health counseling, or leading healthcare

teams."

He added, "our graduates will enter the workforce confident

in using AI to enhance their clinical decisions, spend less time

on paperwork and more time connecting with patients."

Brent Mitchell, vice president of Google Public Sector, said

the partnership aims to ensure clinicians can implement AI

"safely, responsibly and effectively."

A Harris poll from last month showed more than half of U.S.

healthcare workers are actively looking to leave their current

jobs.

The survey also showed 42% of employees worry AI will

replace some aspects of their job, with 41% or less than half

feeling comfortable using AI tools in their current role.