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Left to right, back row – Casey Homes, Jack Smith, Brett Woslager, Jonathan Fullner, Adam Macdissi, Travis Rump, Marc Saleme; middle row – Caitlin Mohr, Emily Hadley, Sara Zimbelman, Erika Pearson, Jenna Derr, Brittney Commins, Joanna Luebbert, Rhiannon Sorenson; front row – Melinda Ahrens, Amanda Perry, Abigail Taylor, Janae Rise, Christine Lee and Sondra Holloway. |
UNMC recently hosted for 21 students from eight colleges across Nebraska. The students, who attended the one-week Cultural Competency Workshop, learned about the growing diversity in Nebraska and the health professional’s role in providing culturally competent health care.
“The workshop provided a general overview of the growing cultural diversity in our state,” said Liliana Bronner, program coordinator with the Rural Health Education Network. “Students gained a historical perspective of culturally diverse health care and applied concepts they learned through patient scenarios.”
The workshop was a rewarding experience, said Travis Rump of Fremont. “The workshop was an eye-opening opportunity to gain exposure to the various cultures that comprise this country and state,” he said. “It provided me with worthwhile tools that I will use in my medical practice someday.”
Rump said he particularly enjoyed job shadowing in an underserved clinic. “It provided me with a wake-up call to poverty and ethnic diversity,” he said. “I am now more culturally sensitive and a better person.”
During the weeklong workshop held Jan. 2-7, students learned about differences and similarities among ethnic populations, what factors determine health disparities and how to be culturally responsive to patients. The workshop was first offered five years ago through funding from the Nebraska health care cash fund (tobacco settlement). It now is supported in part through the Rural Health Education Network and Area Health Education Center (AHEC) funds from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services.
The students worked in small groups and researched a clinical issue affecting underserved populations. On the final day of the workshop, students presented their findings during a student forum.
Many of the students, the majority of whom are from rural communities, express an interest in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant professions.
As part of the workshop, students are required to spend nine to 12-hours with an organization or in a health care setting that benefits underserved communities.
The following students participated in the workshop:
- Amherst, Neb. — Jenna Derr
- Fort Calhoun, Neb. — Adam Macdissi
- Fremont, Neb. — Amanda Perry, Janae Rise, Travis Rump
- Friend, Neb. — Erika Pearson
- Gering, Neb. — Sondra Holloway
- Lincoln, Neb. — Emily Hadley, Sara Zimbelman
- Madison, Neb. — Jonathan Fullner
- Ogallala, Neb. — Brittney Commins
- Omaha, Neb. — Joanna Luebbert, Marc Saleme, Rhiannon Sorenson
- Pierce, Neb. — Brett Woslager
- Sargent, Neb. — Casey Holmes, Jack Smith
- West Point, Neb. — Melinda Ahrens
- Lakewood, Colo. — Christine Lee
- Boise, Idaho — Caitlin Mohr
- Watertown, S.D. — Abigail Taylor