According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the minority population in Nebraska has outgrown the Caucasian population over the last seven years. The Caucasian population has grown 4 percent, while the black population has grown by 14.4 percent, American Indian, Eskimo and Aleutian Islands by 15.4 percent, Asian and Pacific Islander, 66.6 percent, Hispanic, 83.5 percent, white, non-Hispanic, 2.2 percent and all other categories of minorities, 9.4 percent. In spite of significant efforts over the last five years, our school has only achieved 5 to 6 percent overall enrollment of minorities, said Phyllis Muellenberg, M.A., program director of the UNMC Division of Medical Technology. We have been working on this for years and spinning our wheels. The grant first will concentrate on the field of medical technology then will expand to other allied health areas.
Medical technologists perform laboratory tests necessary for diagnosis and treatment of disease.
They obtain samples of blood, tissue or other body fluids and do a wide variety of analytical procedures using computer and laboratory technology. We have a network of professionals on which to build support for this project. We re going to tap into that network, Muellenberg said. If a student in North Platte wants information, we will look into our database and hook them up with someone in the community. A lot of times, students will hear about a career but what they need to do is visit with a professional who can answer questions and show them what the career s about.