New York University said it will allow its medical students to graduate early so the newly established doctors can help in the fight against the coronavirus.
The private university said the unprecedented move is "in response to Governor [Andrew] Cuomo's directive to get more physicians into the health system more quickly," according to NBC New York.
A graduation ceremony for Grossman School of Medicine students was expected to be held in May. Only students who receive the approval of the state's Education Department and other regulatory bodies will be allowed to finish early, the station reported.
The New York City area has become the center of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, with more than 26,300 confirmed cases and 271 deaths as of Wednesday afternoon.