Two University of Nebraska Medical Center faculty members will focus on the importance of training health professionals in rural Nebraska communities during a visit to Chadron State College (CSC) on Monday, Jan. 31. They are Pat Hageman, PT, Ph.D, Director and Professor of Physical Therapy Education (PT); and Kyle Meyer, PT, MS, MPA, Assistant Professor in PT and Chair of the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) admissions committee for Physical Therapy Education.
Dr. Hageman and Meyer will be joined at CSC by Kim Marlatt, PT, ATC. Marlatt, a 1984 graduate of UNMC Physical Therapy Education, practices in Gordon, Neb. In addition to her practice responsibilities, she serves as the PT Education liaison to the CSC RHOP for pre-physical therapy students.
RHOP addresses the special needs of rural Nebraska by encouraging rural residents to pursue healthcare careers. If selected, students obtain early admission into participating University of Nebraska Medical Center colleges upon completion of studies at Chadron State College (CSC) or Wayne State College (WSC).
Dr. Hageman and Meyer’s purpose for the visit is to reaffirm the importance of the RHOP program to providing adequate physical therapy practitioners in out-state Nebraska. Their itinerary will include:
9 a.m. – meeting new faculty members at Chadron State College and campus tour hosted by Brad Fillmore, M.S., Assistant Professor of Biology and Chair of Physical and Life Science Department.
1 to 3:30 p.m. – interviews with high school student applicants for the RHOP PT program.
5 p.m. Meeting with currently enrolled RHOP PT students.
The RHOP PT program has graduated 31 students since its first graduates in 1995. Forty percent of them are now practicing in rural Nebraska, while 26 percent are working in Nebraska’s urban areas – so almost 70 percent of the graduates stayed in Nebraska. There are currently 11 RHOP PT students at UNMC and eight at CSC. Provided they complete their education at CSC or WSC with approved minimum grade point averages, RHOP students may enroll at UNMC to study to become dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, medical technologists, physician assistants, physical therapists, physicians, radiation science professionals and nurses. From 1990-1999, about 70 percent of RHOP students in the allied health professions returned to rural Nebraska areas to practice.
“There are many key facets to having successful rural professional programs,” said Roxanna Jokela, UNMC director of Rural Health Education Network. “Recruitment, training and retention all are necessary. If we never get rural students in the door, or we don’t get them interested in health-care professions, we can’t serve the rural areas well. Once they’re enrolled, we have to provide them with training in rural areas to show them the benefits and disadvantages of those areas. When they start practicing, we need to make sure they’re not isolated. Among other things, we need to provide them with the means to get further degrees and continuing education through the Internet or satellite transmission.”
Fillmore said that Chadron State College has appointed a number of new faculty members in the science departments and the visit is eagerly anticipated.
“We love the fact that Dr. Hageman is willing to come out here just to get to know our new faculty better,” Fillmore said. “RHOP is just a wonderful program. It is almost immeasurably valuable to young people in this and other rural areas. In many ways, RHOP offers a best case scenario. Students can begin training for excellent, long-term careers in a rural area and then, after completion of their professional program at UNMC, return and serve the rural communities they know. RHOP is a strong program that will only continue to grow. And part of the reason is because of the on-going enthusiasm and willingness by UNMC’s top people to come out here and make it personal.”
For more information or to reach Dr. Hageman, Meyer or any of the Chadron State College hosts, contact Fillmore at 308-342-6422.