For more information, contact:
Ann Kraft, UNMC Rural Health Education Network
Phone: (402) 559-3398; E-mail: akraft@unmc.edu
News releases are archived on the UNMC Web site at:
https://app1.unmc.edu/publicaffairs/newsarchive/releases.cfm
New officers have been elected for 2008-09 by the Student Association for Rural Health (SARH) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. SARH promotes interest in health careers in rural areas of Nebraska by hosting monthly seminars on rural health issues. All UNMC students are eligible to join the SARH group.
The 2008 -2009 officers and their hometowns are:
Lawrence, Neb. — President, Andrew Pohlmeier, second-year medical student
Pohlmeier graduated from Lawrence/Nelson High School and Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. He joined SARH because he grew up on a farm. He likes working with younger students (especially ones from rural areas) who are interested in health care careers. After graduation, he plans to practice in rural Nebraska. He is the son of Jayne and Gene Pohlmeier of Lawrence.
O’Neill, Neb. — Vice President, Tyler Ptacek, second-year medical student
Ptacek graduated from O’Neill High School and Wayne State College. He joined SARH to further the awareness of issues affecting rural Nebraska. He hopes to practice medicine in a rural community after graduation and believes his participation in SARH will better prepare him to face all of the unique challenges of rural Nebraska. He is the son of Kelly and Mark Ptacek of O’Neill, Neb.
Cozad, Neb. — Secretary, Natalie Hart, second-year medical student
Hart graduated from Cozad High School and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She joined SARH because she wants to encourage rural students to enter health care careers. She also wants to promote the benefits and advantages of rural medical practice to decrease the number of medically underserved areas in Nebraska. Hart is the daughter of M.J. and Bruce Hart who live outside Cozad, Neb.
Weston and Wahoo, Neb. — Treasurer, Andrew Opp, second-year medical student
Opp graduated from Bishop Neumann High School and Wayne State College. He is interested rural health because he currently lives in Wahoo, Neb. with his wife, Alexis. Opp knows many people whose first primary care providers are located in small towns. Opp is the son of Barbara and Ervin Opp of Weston Neb.
Gering, Neb. – Physical Therapy Representative, Alesa Hebbert, second-year physical therapy student
Hebbert graduated from Gering High School and Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb. She joined SARH because she has been involved in rural health activities since high school and wants to give back to smaller communities and their health care systems. After graduation, she plans to move back to a rural area and begin her practice. She is the daughter of Matt Hebbert and Yvonne Smith both of Gering, Neb.
Valentine, Neb. – Physician Assistant Representative, Jill Connot, first-year physician assistant student
Connot graduated from Valentine Rural High School (Valentine, Neb) and Dana College in Crete, Neb. She joined SARH because she wants to gain knowledge about rural health issues and learn about rural job opportunities when she completes her education at UNMC. She is the daughter of Linda and Gary Connot of Valentine, NE.
Stanton, Humphrey and Clarkson, Neb. – Pharmacy Representative, Amanda Pekny, third-year pharmacy student
Pekny graduated from Stanton High School (Stanton) and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, So Dak. She joined SARH in order to represent students from the College of Pharmacy. She is the daughter of Patty Schutt of Humphrey, Neb. and Gary Pekny of Clarkson, Neb.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $82 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,400 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.
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