UNK is accepting a record 56 students into the Kearney Health Opportunities program

M. N.March 24, 2023

HASTINGS, Neb. (Nebraska) – Future community health professionals from across the state will attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney this fall as part of the largest class ever to enter the Kearney Health Opportunities Program.

A total of 56 high school students were recently accepted into KHOP, a pipeline program designed to augment the state’s healthcare workforce by recruiting and educating rural Nebraska students who commit to practicing in these areas after vocational school. Participants are awarded full scholarships to attend UNK and guaranteed admission to the University of Nebraska Medical Center if all requirements are met.

“We are very excited to welcome this historic freshman class to the KHOP program,” said Peggy Abels, director of UNK Health Sciences. “It is encouraging to have such a talented group of students dedicated to practicing health care in rural Nebraska. We look forward to working with them to help alleviate the workforce shortage in our state.”

Launched in 2010, KHOP addresses an urgent need for health care workers in rural Nebraska by providing high-quality education for students in these communities. Program participants can study in the fields of dental hygiene, dentistry, medical laboratory science, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and radiography.

In addition to the full scholarship, members receive a $2,000 room waiver through the KHOP learning community. A requirement for freshmen, the one-year residential learning community offers students the chance to explore various healthcare careers while receiving support and guidance as they transition into college. KHOP members also meet with health care professionals and tour medical facilities in the Kearney area, better preparing them for vocational school.

For more information about the program, visit this website, call 308-865-8260, or email [email protected].

The following students, listed by hometown, will begin the Kearney Health Opportunities Program this fall: