Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) student, Dean Stirland, an internationally educated nurse from the United Kingdom, recently became the first international registered nurse to complete a new Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON)-approved pathway at CGTC. 

Stirland, a UK-licensed Registered Nurse who relocated to Georgia with his military spouse, recently completed his required pediatric clinical hours at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital in Macon, a critical step toward the endorsement of his nursing license in the state of Georgia. 

“The professionalism and guidance I received from the entire team in the Pediatric ER was exceptional. I could not have hoped for a better experience,” said Stirland. “The staff at CGTC were equally incredible—guiding me every step of the way through a process that, as an international graduate unfamiliar with U.S. education, could have felt overwhelming. Their support made this journey an overwhelmingly positive one.”