Rural Health Opportunities Program

1. Rural Health Opportunities Program RHOP

2. What is RHOP? • Its beginnings • “Grow Our Own” • To recruit rural Nebraska students into the health professions • Support programs to recruit them back to rural Nebraska communities

3. Student Data • Number of graduates: 290 • 55% in rural Nebraska • 15% in rural across the U.S. 70% Rural!

4. Partnership Wayne State College University of Nebraska Medical Center Chadron State College

5. 479 RHOP participants from 202 communities • 290 graduates; 81 Currently attending UNMC; 107 still in pipeline • 55% graduates employed in rural Nebraska This information is current as of: July 2006

6. RHOP Professions • CSC & WSC • Medicine • Pharmacy • Dentistry • Dental Hygiene • Clinical Laboratory Science

7. RHOP Professionscont … • Also at CSC • Physician Assistant • Physical Therapy • Radiography • Nursing

8. Commitment “Return to rural Nebraska” Rural communities outside of Omaha, Lincoln, & South Sioux Areas

9. Medicine (MD) • Years of study • 4 undergraduate • 4 years at UNMC • 3 or more years residency • Positions accepted • 3 at Chadron • 3 at Wayne • Accepted medical fields • Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/Gynecology, General Surgery, and Psychiatry

10. Pharmacy (PharmD) • Years of study • 2 years undergraduate • 4 years at UNMC • Positions accepted • 3 at Chadron • 3 at Wayne

11. Dentistry (DDS) • Years of study • 3 years undergraduate • 4 years at UNMC, Lincoln • Positions accepted • 3 at Chadron • 3 at Wayne

12. Dental Hygiene (BS) • Years of study • 2 years undergraduate • 2 years at UNMC, Lincoln or Scottsbluff • Positions accepted • 1 at Chadron • 2 at Wayne

13. Clinical Laboratory Science (BS) • Years of study • 3 years undergraduate • 1 year at UNMC • Rural sites are available • Positions accepted • 4 at Chadron • 2 at Wayne

14. Financial Incentives • Tuition waiver for medicine & dentistry only at CSC & WSC • Eligible for waiver through the State College Board of Trustees

15. Financial Incentives cont .. • Many RHOP students qualify for Rural Health Advisory Commission Loan or Loan Forgiveness • Strict definitions of underserved to qualify for loan repayment regulations

16. Chadron State CollegeOnly

17. Physician Assistant (MPAS) • Years of study • 4 years undergraduate • 28 months at UNMC • Positions accepted • 4 positions per year

18. Physical Therapy (DPT) • Years of study • 3 years undergraduate • 3 years at UNMC • Positions accepted • 4 positions per year

19. Radiography (BS) • Years of study • 2 years undergraduate • 2 years at UNMC • Positions accepted • 2 positions per year

20. Nursing (BS) • Years of study • 1 ½ years undergraduate • 2 ½ years at UNMC • Positions accepted • 2 positions per year at the Scottsbluff campus

21. How do I apply? • Request an application for admission from WSC or CSC • Also request an RHOP application to be completed and returned with admission application • May apply only to ONE college

22. How do I apply? cont … • May apply to only ONE pre-professional field • Once accepted cannot change fields and stay in RHOP • Applications are due by December 1 for the next academic year

23. Criteria used for selection • From a rural Nebraska community • Well rounded student • ACT/SAT scores • Grade point averages (especially science) • Essay • Interest in rural; connecting to rural • Experience/Knowledge of health care • Shadowing • Volunteer work

24. How many are interviewed? • About twice the number of positions available • Who interviews • Students notified before March 1 • Alternate status – must enroll at selected undergrad institution

25. What’s my commitment? • To rural Nebraska • Your decision will determine the success of the program

26. Questions Ann Kraft, Program Coordinator Rural Health Education Network Nebraska AHEC Program Office Phone: (402) 559-3398 E-mail: akraft@unmc.edu