RHOP participants, alternates announced

According to Director of Health Professions Kristal Kuhnel, CSC and UNMC, through an application and interview process, were able to identify those students who have an understanding of the rigorous path ahead and are committed to returning to rural Nebraska to practice once they graduate. 

Students selected as participants in the program take pre-professional training at CSC with guaranteed pre-admittance to one of the UNMC sites, if they meet the program’s standards. The dental students will take advanced training at Lincoln, the nursing students at Scottsbluff, dental hygiene at Gering and the others in Omaha. Often, the alternates become primary participants before their training at CSC is completed, Kuhnel said.

“Since starting in this position three years ago, I have spent each September canvassing Nebraska in partnership with CSC’s enthusiastic admissions representatives searching for the best and brightest students interested in a career in health care. This year, especially, we can see the fruits of that labor as we had an outstanding pool of applications from which to select,” Kuhnel said.

Faculty members Dr. Mathew Brust, Dr. Ann Buchmann, Dr. Joyce Hardy, Dr. Wendy Jamison, Dr. Tim Keith and Dr. Zachary Varpness participated in the selection process and interviews.

Following are the selections:

Dental Hygiene

Participants: Shae Toof of Alliance, Blaine Flack of Crawford

Dentistry

Participant: Colton Peckham of Sidney

Dentistry

Alternate: John Gilbertson of Grand Island

Medicine

Participants: Megan Erickson of Bassett, Abigail Klammer of Juniata, Abigail Kring of North Platte, McKinna Faulkenberry of Randolph, Samantha Hipke, of Spencer, Thea McFarland of Wausa

Alternate: Brendan Fangmeier of Hebron

Medical Laboratory Science

Participant: Madison Coulter of Gothenburg

Nursing

Participants: Ashley Maschmeier of Gering, Samantha Kearns of Hay Springs, Hope Dowling of Lexington, Logan Loker of McCook, Sarahi Barrios of Mitchell, Danielle Couse of Mitchell

Pharmacy

Participants: RaeAnn Heapy of Curtis, Holli Thomas of McCook, Emma Alexander of Sidney

Physical Therapy

Participants: Alexis Heller of Pilger, Josslyn Linse of Plattsmouth

Physical Therapy

Alternates: Hannah Horne of Exeter, Jared Nelson of Gordon, Ruth Mencia of Grand Island, Mitchell Rolls of Sidney, Grace Robison of Valentine

Physician Assistant

Participants: Nicole Barker of Bayard, Brittney Spreier of Gering, Lindsay Scanlon of Minden

Radiography

Participants: Samantha Stowell of Callaway, Katelyn Keffeler of Holdrege