The University of Nebraska Medical Center's rural education program has graduated 64 students since its beginning in 1991. Prior to the program, only 8 percent of the graduates took their first jobs in a rural community. UNMC has designed a program to train medical laboratory workers and allied health practitioners currently working in rural Nebraska in more than one area of health care. The focus of the program is to bring more multi-skilled allied health professionals to rural Nebraska. The funding was awarded to the division of medical technology in UNMC's School of Allied Health Professions.
Students are only responsible for the cost of books and teaching materials.
Research shows that the greatest need in Nebraska's rural health-care facilities is for medical technologists with additional skills in radiography. Training for eligible technologists began last summer in this discipline. A two-week course titled Limited Scope of Practice in Radiography, is being offered July 20 through 31. Training includes classroom instruction and conferences, and working in clinical situations, practice laboratory sessions and computer-assisted instruction. Participants are prepared for the licensure examination that will enable them to perform limited radiography procedures.