Program has provided educational experiences for thousands of UNMC students
By creating RHEN and forming partnerships with communities across the state, UNMC was able to develop a network of volunteer faculty to serve as preceptors for its students.
RHEN allows students to receive part of their professional education in sites away from the main UNMC campus. Almost all UNMC students experience a rural rotation at some point in their education. In 2010, more than 530 UNMC students participated in 854 rural rotations in 74 Nebraska communities.
UNMC College of Medicine alumnus and RHEN director, Patrik Johansson, M.D., M.P.H., spoke glowingly of the RHEN program from his own personal perspective.
"When I was a medical student, my rural rotations in Sidney and Gordon exposed me to the breadth of primary care, and I became acutely aware of rural health professions shortages," he said. "These factors strongly influenced me to pursue a career in public health and in my capacity as RHEN director work toward addressing health professions workforce shortages in rural Nebraska."
There are currently 95 Nebraska communities and 324 organizations who serve as rural rotation sites (located outside Douglas, Sarpy and Lancaster counties) for UNMC students.
They provide educational training for the following UNMC programs – clinical laboratory science, dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, physical therapy and radiography.
The preceptor sites include:
Ainsworth — Ainsworth Family Clinic; Pamida Pharmacy;
Albion — Boone County Health Center; Boone County Medical Clinic;
Alliance — Alliance Family Medicine; Alliance Physical Therapy; Alliance Public Schools; Alliance Children and Allied Health; Box Butte General Hospital; Sandhills Family Center;
Alma — Alma Family Dentistry;
Ashland — Ashland Pharmacy Inc.; Atkinson — West Holt Medical Clinic;
Auburn — Auburn Family Health Center, PC; Nemaha County Hospital
Aurora — Jim’s U-Save Pharmacy; Memorial Health Clinic; Memorial Hospital
Bayard — Bayard Public Schools
Beatrice — Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center; Beatrice Medical Center; Beatrice State Developmental Center; Community Medical Center; Deines Pharmacy, Inc; Gage County Medical Clinic; Scott Osborn, DDS; Southeast Nebraska Surgery, PC
Benkelman — Dundy County Hospital; Quality Healthcare Clinic
Big Springs — Valley Medical Clinic
Blair — Alegent Health Clinic; Blair Clinic; Internal Medicine Consultants; Memorial Community Hospital
Bloomfield — Bloomfield Pharmacy
Bridgeport — Bridgeport Dental Clinic; Bridgeport Public Schools; Morrill County Hospital Clinic; Morrill County Community Hospital
Broken Bow — Broken Bow Clinic, PC; Central Nebraska Medical Clinic; Clark Dental Clinic; Holcomb Pharmacy, PC; Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center; McMeen Physical Therapy; Varney Rexall Healthmart
Burwell — Tim Garner, DDS
Callaway — Callaway Medical Clinic
Cambridge — Mark’s Pharmacy Cambridge; Tri Valley Health System
Central City — Litzenberg Memorial County Hospital; Lone Tree Medical Associates, PC
Chadron — CAPWN Dental Clinic; Chadron Community Hospital & Health Services; Chadron Medical Clinic, PC; Chadron Public Schools; Chadron State College; Petersen Drug
Columbus — Bob’s U-Save Pharmacy; Columbus Community Hospital; Columbus Community Hospital Pediatric Clinic; Columbus Family Practice Associates, PC; Columbus Otolaryngology Clinic; Columbus Physical Therapy; Columbus Women’s Healthcare, PC; Good Neighbor Community Health Center; Hy-Vee Pharmacy; Tooley Drug Company Pharmacy
Cozad — Cozad Community Hospital; Service Drug Store
Crawford — Crawford Pharmacy
Creighton — D.M. Laflan M.D., PC; Creighton Area Health Services; Overland Rehabilitation
Crete — Crete Area Medical Center; Ken’s U-Save Pharmacy
David City — Butler County Clinic; David City Discount Pharmacy; E Street Discount Pharmacy; Witter Family Medicine
Elm Creek — Country Clinic
Fairbury — The Fairbury Clinic, PC; Jefferson Community Health Center
Falls City — Community Medical Center; Falls City Family Practice; Family Medicine
Franklin — Naden Pharmacy, Inc.
Fremont — Community Rehab Physical Therapy; Excel-Fremont; Food-4-Less Pharmacy; Fremont Area Medical Center; Health Care for Women; Heartland Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Clinic; Kid Care; Miller Pharmacy East; Pediatric Partners, L.L.C.; Prairie Fields Family Medicine, PC; Urology Health Center, PC
Friend — Friend Medical Center, PC; Warren Memorial Hospital
Fort Calhoun — MCH Physicians Fort Calhoun
Fullerton — Dan Maas, DDS Geneva — Filmore County Hospital; Weaver Pharmacy
Gering — Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska; Doves; Gering Public Schools; Heritage Health Care Center; Regional West Physicians Internal Medicine; Panhandle Community Services; Scotts Bluff County Health Department
Gordon — Gordon Clinic; Gordon Memorial Hospital; Physical Therapy West; Stockmen’s Drug
Gothenburg — Gothenburg Discount Pharmacy Inc.; Gothenburg Family Practice; Gothenburg Medical Arts
Grand Island — Central Nebraska Orthopedics & Sports Medicine; Family Practice of Grand Island, PC; Design Dental Solutions: G Douglas Camplin DDS; Grand Island Clinic, Inc; Internal Medical Associates; Grand Island Physical Therapy & Sports Clinic; Veteran Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System; Midwest LTC Pharmacy; Nebraska Heart Institute; Saint Francis Medical Center; U-Save Pharmacy South
grant — grant Pharmacy; Perkins County Health Services
Harrisburg — Harrisburg Public Schools
Hastings — Adult & Pediatric Vascular Surgery, PC; Central Nebraska Neurology, PC; Bauer and Howard Dental Care: Charles Bauer, DDS; Children & Adolescent Clinic; Crosier Park Pharmacy; Family Medical Center of Hastings; Hastings Family Practice; Hastings General Surgery; Hastings Internal Medicine; Hastings Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists, PC; Hastings Pulmonary & Sleep Clinic; Keith’s Drive-In Drug; Lanning Center Behavioral Services; Pediatric Dental Specialists of Greater Nebraska; Mary Lanning Memorial HealthCare; Moscati Health Center; Nebraska Heart Institute; Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab; Redline Pharmacy Solutions
Hebron — Priefert Pharmacy; Thayer County Health Services
Hemingford — Hemingford Clinic; Hemingford Public Schools; Panhandle Public Health District
Henderson — Henderson Health Care Services, Inc.
Holdrege — Family Medical Specialties; Great Plains Surgery, PC; High Plains Clinic, LLC; Mike’s U-Save Pharmacy; Noble Drug; Phelps Memorial Health Center
Imperial — Adams Drug, Inc.
Kearney — Contemporary Obstetrics & Gynecology, PC; Dermatology, PC; ENT Physicians of Kearney, PC; Family Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine; Family Practice Associates, PC; First Care Medical, PC; Good Samaritan Hospital; Heartland Hematology & Oncology; Kearney Arthritis Institute; Kearney Bone and Joint Clinic, PC; Kearney Clinic, PC; Kearney Dental Clinic; Kearney Orthopedic and Sports Medicine; Meadowlark Dental Associates; Nebraska Neurosurgery & Spine Clinic; New West Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery; Platte Valley Medical Group; Richard Young Hospital
Kimball — Kimball Public Schools
Laurel — Laurel Mercy Medical Clinic; Main Street Apothecary
Lexington — Barmore Drug; Bruce Hanson, DDS, PC; Plum Creek Medical Group; Thomas Fagot, DDS; Community Health & Fitness Center; Tri-County Area Hospital Pharmacy; U-Save Pharmacy
Loup City — Sherman County Medical Clinic
Macy — Carl T Curtis Health Center
McCook — Farrell’s Pharmacy Inc; McCook Clinic; Community Hospital; Southwest Nebraska Physical Therapy
Minatare — Minatare Public Schools
Minden — Kearney County Health Services; Minden Medical Clinic
Mitchell — Mitchell Public Schools
Morrill — Morrill Public Schools
Mullen — Sandhills Family Medicine
Nebraska City — Nebraska City Medical Clinic; Saint Mary’s Community Hospital; Mosers U-Save Pharmacy
Neligh — AMH Family Practice; Wanek Pharmacy
Norfolk — Norfolk Community Health Care Clinic; Faith Regional Health Services; Faith Regional Internal Medicine; Faith Regional Psychiatric Services; Heartland Physical Therapy, Inc.; Hy-Vee Pharmacy; Midlands OB/GYN Clinic; Midwest Health Partners, PC; Midwest Pediatrics; Norfolk Dental Group; Norfolk Family Medicine; Norfolk Medical Group; Norfolk Regional Center; Northeast Nebraska Cardiology Consultants, PC; Spier Physical Therapy; U-Save Pharmacy Norfolk, Inc.; Vital Care Pharmacy of Norfolk; Walgreens
North Platte — Adolescent and Child Care Specialists; Bill’s U-Save Pharmacy; Complete Family Medicine, LLC; Family Medicine Associates; Fitzpatrick Ear, Nose & Throat, PC; Great Plains Regional Medical Center; Internal Medicine Associates; Maple Park Dental Associates; Midlands Family Medicine; Nebraska Heart Institute; North Platte OB/GYN; North Platte Orthopedic & Sports Medicine; North Platte Surgical Associates; Platte Valley Skin Clinic; Psychiatric Medical Care of Great Plains; Rx Express Pharmacy; West Central District Health Department
Oakland — Oakland Mercy Medical Clinic; Oakland Mercy Hospital
Ogallala — North Park Dental, PC; Ogallala Medical Group; Pamida Pharmacy; Ogallala Community Hospital Physical Therapy Services; U-Save Pharmacy
O’Neill — Avera O’Neill Family Medicine; Avera Saint Anthony’s Hospital; Elkhorn Valley Family Medicine; Avera Holt County Medical Clinic
Ord — Anderson Pharmacy; Complete Family Dentistry; Good Life Discount Pharmacy; Ord Family Health Center; Valley County Health System
Pawnee City — Pawnee County Rural Health Clinic
Pender — Pender Mercy Medical Clinic Pierce — Pierce Dental Office, PC: Todd Wragge, DDS
Plainview — Plainview Area Health System; Plainview Pharmacy
Plattsmouth — Community Rehab Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine; Pamida Pharmacy; UNMC Physicians
Ponca — Ponca Mercy Medical Services Schuyler — Alegent Health Clinic Schuyler
Scottsbluff — Child Development Center; Cirrus House; Educational Service Unit 13; Horizons West Medical Group; Panhandle Mental Health Center; Partners in Behavioral Health; Platte Valley Pediatrics; Prairie Haven Hospice; Quick Care Medical Services; Regional West Physicians Clinic; Regional West Health Services; Scottsbluff Dialysis Center; Scottsbluff Public Schools; Women’s Center; Walgreens; Western Surgical Group
Seward — Memorial Health Care Systems; Pac N Save Discount Pharmacy; Seward Family Medical Center
Sidney — Memorial Health Center; Safeway Pharmacy; Sidney Medical Associates; Sidney Public Schools; William Printz, DDS, PC
South Sioux City — Redler’s Professional Pharmacy, Inc.
St. Edward — Terry Troyer, MD
St. Paul — Brehm Drug, Inc.; Howard County Medical Center
Stromsburg — Prairie Creek Family Medicine
Superior — Brodstone Memorial Hospital; Superior Family Medical Center
Syracuse — Community Memorial Hospital
Tecumseh — Johnson County Hospital; Tecumseh Family Health
Tilden — Tilden Community Hospital Medical Clinic
Valentine — Cherry County Clinic; Valentine Medical Clinic
Verdigre — Avera Medical Group Verdigre
Wahoo — Saunders Medical Center; Wahoo Medical
Wayne — Pamida Pharmacy; Providence Medical Center; U-Save Pharmacy; Wayne Mercy Medical Clinic
West Point — Dinklage Medical Clinic; Saint Francis Memorial Hospital; Tom’s Rexall Drug
Winnebago — Winnebago Dental Clinic: Rex Monif, DDS; Winnebago Public Health Service Hospital
York — Charlie’s U-Save Pharmacy; York General Health Care Services; York Medical Clinic
What others are saying about RHEN:
"My rural preceptors encouraged me to ask questions, and I was able to start building a network of health care professionals I still contact when I want to share information or bounce ideas off someone. Second, it isn’t just the preceptor who influences the students. During the rotation, students experience all aspects of living in rural communities, and it helps them decide whether a town is someplace they would like to work and raise their families."
Karen Kroll, Pharm.D., director of the Thayer County Health Services Pharmacy in Hebron, Neb., who graduated from UNMC in 2005
"My rural rotations were integral for me choosing to enter the world of rural family medicine. I benefitted immensely from the direct one-on-one teaching and acquired skills that will be of use for the rest of my career."
Andrew Pohlmeier, M.D., Lawrence, Neb., who graduated from the UNMC College of Medicine in 2011
"The RHEN program is a long-term investment in the young students of Nebraska. Over the past 20 years, RHEN has offered opportunities for many students to have part of their health education in the rural parts of the state. With this exposure to rural medicine, we have reaped the reward of having many of these students go on to establish their practices in smaller communities of the state." Milton ‘Pete’ Johnson, M.D., associate director of the Rural Residency Track of the UNMC Department of Family Medicine program at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff
"My preceptorship was an opportunity to expand not only my technical skills but also my personal skills working with a full office staff and a variety of patients. I was able to experience many ‘real world’ dental scenarios that I would’ve never seen in dental school and felt very confident to go out and practice the day I graduated. When a position came available at the clinic I did my preceptorship at, I jumped at the chance to work in the Nebraska panhandle again and hopefully prepare other students for the real world like my preceptors did for me."
Hayley Beaudette, D.D.S., Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska in Gering, Neb., who graduated from UNMC in 2008
Through world-class research and patient care, UNMC generates breakthroughs that make life better for people throughout Nebraska and beyond. Its education programs train more health professionals than any other institution in the state. Learn more at unmc.edu.The Rural Health Education Network (RHEN), which was developed by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Nebraska Legislature to provide educational opportunities for health profession students, is celebrating its 20th anniversary.