Candice Dziowgo’s story is a prototype of how the UNMC Rural Health Opportunities Program works to bring better health care to rural communities.
As a high school senior, Dziowgo had grown up with an interest in science. Her dad, Chuck, is an elementary math and science teacher, and her mom, Cheryl, is a substitute teacher. Dziowgo also was intrigued by the health-care professions, and she was cognizant of the field of radiography because a friend’s dad practiced as one. Her guidance counselor at O’Neill High School, meantime, was well aware of the benefits of RHOP, and talked to Dziowgo about entering the program.
Thus, four years ago, Dziowgo’s interest and ambition was paired with her guidance counselor’s awareness of RHOP. Dziowgo applied to the program, was accepted, and in a year or two will return to a rural area to help care for greater Nebraska citizens.
“I think that it’s unfortunate that small, rural communities don’t have the health-care services that they need,” Dziowgo said. “It’s important that health-care providers are in those towns, too.”
So did UNMC leaders when they helped to form RHOP. The initiative is a collaborative effort between UNMC, Wayne State College and Chadron State College, which Dziowgo attended. Like many students, she completed two years of undergraduate studies at Chadron before beginning work at the UNMC Omaha campus. The students study to become professionals such as dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, medical technologists, physician assistants, physical therapists, physicians, radiation science professionals and nurses.
Dziowgo said the guarantee that she would be admitted to UNMC — if she maintained a 3.5 grade point average – was a bit of a stress reliever.
“It’s pretty tough competition to get into the radiography program. Being in RHOP alleviated some of the stress and let me focus on studying,” Dziowgo said.
Dziowgo will complete her coursework this spring for a bachelor’s degree in radiation science technology and a certification in radiography. She hopes to stay at UNMC another year to receive a certification in computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). She then plans to work on a rural hospital’s mobile unit that will travel to communities similar in size to her hometown of Inman, population 150.
Dziowgo said she recommends RHOP to anyone wanting to return to a rural community.
“It’s been good to me,” she said.