UNMC recently hosted 203 undergraduate students and their faculty advisors, representing five health academic pathway programs, who spent two days exploring their future as health profession students.
The students, who are enrolled in the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP), the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP), Urban Health Opportunities Program (UHOP) and the Public Health Early Admissions Student Track (PHEAST), came to UNMC to get a glimpse into their future as UNMC students.
During the visit, students learned more about their future careers in 11 different health professions – dentistry, dental hygiene, medical laboratory science, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physician assistant, physical therapy, public health or radiography. Students also connected with current students in their declared health profession training programs and gained information and tips on how to be prepared to thrive at UNMC.
“The annual visit to UNMC is an outstanding opportunity for our future students to visualize themselves in their health profession training program and as a future health care professional and to build bonds with students from across the state that they will eventually share classes or even practice with,” said Nikki Carritt, director of Rural Health Initiatives at UNMC. “We were excited to welcome students back for the enhanced in-person opportunity – long marked as a cornerstone of their program experience.
“It is also a chance for leadership, faculty and staff across UNMC to demonstrate our commitment to their success in becoming Nebraska’s health care workforce of the future.”
Tobias Kraft, a future medical student who is in the KHOP program, said the visit to campus had been enjoyable.
“I’ve loved the tour, getting to see everything,” he said. “All of the different tech they’ve been showing us is totally unique. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
While at UNMC the students met with faculty in their training program, learned from presentations on how to prepare academically to meet the rigors of a health professions education and had discussions on leadership, inclusivity, and well-being and stress management.
“One thing they love is the ability to interact with the students at UNMC – people who have gone before them, who have been in their pathway who are now at UNMC and thriving,” said Kelli Jones Schneegass, rural health program specialist.
Students from Chadron State also had the opportunity to meet faculty and staff at the Health Science Education Complex (HSEC) in Kearney on their return trip. Several of the students will matriculate to the allied health professions and nursing training programs on that campus.