ARRA: Kentucky Longitudinal Health Careers Manpower Training Program

A comprehensive statewide physician workforce study recently conducted by the Kentucky Institute of Medicine demonstrated that Kentucky currently needs 2,298 more physicians to bring it to the 2007 average U.S. physician to patient ratio. Moreover, it is likely that future needs will require an additional 2,765 based on projected demand by 2020. Yet, admissions officers in medical and other health professions colleges find that many Kentucky students are underprepared to be competitive with national candidates for the limited number of available slots. There is ample evidence that shortages also exist in other health professions such as pharmacy, dentistry and nursing. The need for academic enrichment activities focused on increasing the competitiveness of students who apply for health professions programs is particularly important for children from states such as Kentucky where poverty remains extensive and academic achievement is below national norms. Given that evidence indicates that individuals from rural and urban underserved areas are more likely to return to practice in these areas, it is imperative to reach out to these students to enhance their ability to matriculate into health professions programs. As such, the equipment to be purchased with these requested funds will be used to provide an evidence-based educational enhancement to support our statewidc approach to increase the number of representatives of under served and underrepresented economic, racial/ethnic and geographic groups within the health careers workforce. Consistent with a constructivist theory of learning, program participants will be able to engage in "life-like" medical simulation activities. This enhanced methodology will ensure increased academic motivation and efficacy, resulting in increased acquisition of knowledge and skills. By equipping three vans as mobile simulation laboratories, the UK AHEC Health Careers Pipeline Program will provide the means to bring hands-on, interactive training opportunities in applied health "practice" to K-12 students in Kentucky. The pipeline program serves predominantly rural students in geographically remote and/or high-poverty communities as well as students from significantly underrepresented minorities, including African American and Hispanic populations.