Students from UNMC/Dillard University partnership graduate

At times, it wasn’t easy.

Becoming a health care professional is hard enough but students from the Louisiana area also had to make a shift to come to Nebraska. A move, they say, was worth it.

Success stories To date, six students from this partnership are now UNMC alumni and practicing health care professionals in either clinical perfusion, dentistry, medicine or pharmacy.

“I had the benefit of working with a diverse group of researchers and health care providers and the educational opportunities were outstanding,” said Rico Lewis, a graduate from the clinical perfusion program in UNMC’s School of Allied Health Professions. “I hope the program continues.”

Lewis is among the final three graduates from the UNMC/Dillard University partnership who were honored at the annual Student National Medical Association graduation banquet sponsored by the Office of Student Equity and Multi-cultural Affairs.

The Dillard partnership began in 2002 as a pipeline to recruit promising health professional students from the historically black university in New Orleans. This initial partnership has expanded to include other historically black colleges and universities.

Since its initiation, several students and faculty have spent summers in Omaha and:

• Worked on research projects;
  
• Attended educational seminars; and
  
• Networked with UNMC faculty and students.

The goal is not only to increase student exposure to science but also encourage them to apply and enroll at UNMC.