2008 Woodie Awards
UNMC program's graduates returning to rural communities
Max Wohlgemuth
Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Medical graduates are sticking around for a few years after graduation.
The Rural Health Opportunities Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center has been successful at its goal of keeping graduates in the state, according to a report published by UNMC in September. The numbers of students at UNMC choosing to remain in rural communities is high. One statistic shows 68 percent of the students who completed the program are practicing in rural areas.
"The goal of (the program) is to get graduates to practice medicine in rural areas," said Roxanna Jokela, director of UNMC's Rural Health Education Network.
The program takes students from rural parts of Nebraska, brings them to UNMC and eventually sends them back to rural communities as medical practitioners, said Todd Young, Rural Health Opportunities Program coordinator at Wayne State. Wayne State and Chadron State College partner with UNMC for the program.
"Hopefully they choose to stay rural," he said.
Overall, 52 percent of graduates are working in rural communities in Nebraska.
"The numbers are very great," Jokela said. "There are no numbers like this in any other state. They have numbers at around 12 percent of students returning to rural communities, and we have over 50 percent."
The organization started in 1990 with cooperation with the dean and chancellor of Chadron State College.
"We were trying to find out why students were not applying to UNMC from Chadron State," said Jokela.
Now the program brings students into and from the colleges of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing. The program also works with the departments of dental hygiene, physical therapy, clinical lab sciences, physician assistant and radiograph.
"We really see it as the model program," said Jokela, "It's been a long term success."
The students are key to the functionality of the organization. They are not obligated to stay in rural communities. The university tracks the students and keeps records for result analysis.
"We are drafting rural kids and guiding them through the track they choose," Young said.
Of the program's graduates, 57.5 percent practice in communities of less than 25,000.
"I am really proud of the program and the students. They give a commitment of the heart," said Jokela.
maxwohlgemuth@dailynebraskan.com
The Rural Health Opportunities Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center has been successful at its goal of keeping graduates in the state, according to a report published by UNMC in September. The numbers of students at UNMC choosing to remain in rural communities is high. One statistic shows 68 percent of the students who completed the program are practicing in rural areas.
"The goal of (the program) is to get graduates to practice medicine in rural areas," said Roxanna Jokela, director of UNMC's Rural Health Education Network.
The program takes students from rural parts of Nebraska, brings them to UNMC and eventually sends them back to rural communities as medical practitioners, said Todd Young, Rural Health Opportunities Program coordinator at Wayne State. Wayne State and Chadron State College partner with UNMC for the program.
"Hopefully they choose to stay rural," he said.
Overall, 52 percent of graduates are working in rural communities in Nebraska.
"The numbers are very great," Jokela said. "There are no numbers like this in any other state. They have numbers at around 12 percent of students returning to rural communities, and we have over 50 percent."
The organization started in 1990 with cooperation with the dean and chancellor of Chadron State College.
"We were trying to find out why students were not applying to UNMC from Chadron State," said Jokela.
Now the program brings students into and from the colleges of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing. The program also works with the departments of dental hygiene, physical therapy, clinical lab sciences, physician assistant and radiograph.
"We really see it as the model program," said Jokela, "It's been a long term success."
The students are key to the functionality of the organization. They are not obligated to stay in rural communities. The university tracks the students and keeps records for result analysis.
"We are drafting rural kids and guiding them through the track they choose," Young said.
Of the program's graduates, 57.5 percent practice in communities of less than 25,000.
"I am really proud of the program and the students. They give a commitment of the heart," said Jokela.
maxwohlgemuth@dailynebraskan.com
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