The University of Kansas Medical center is getting a $270,000 grant to help fight a shortage of healthcare workers in Kansas.
This money will be used to offer additional learning experiences to students to grow their interests and knowledge base. This grant comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and was announced by U.S. Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed many existing vulnerabilities within the health care industry and exacerbated shortages within our workforce,” said Senator Marshall. “As a physician who served rural and underserved communities, I saw workforce shortages in Kansas firsthand. We need to build tomorrow’s health care heroes today. Health and biomedical sciences can offer incredibly rewarding careers, but entering into those fields can be intimidating. KUMC’s partnership will bring experiences and a more engaging approach that will encourage students to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in health care.”
“Training and recruiting the next generation of health care workers is essential to providing Kansans access to high quality care in every corner of the state,” said Sen. Moran. “Partnering with local educational programs will help recruit students to be future health care professionals while developing their appreciation for the communities where they receive their education. This grant will allow KUMC to further invest in providing adequate training for professionals to confidently care for their patients while encouraging them to stay and serve in Kansas.”
This project is funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and will establish a group of teachers, students, and researchers, who want to bring relevant and community based issues into classrooms. The KU Medical Center will be creating the Teachers and Students for Community Oriented Research and Education: Linking Industry, Faculty, and Teachers (TSCORE LIFT) program. This expands on the school existing programs and efforts to link schools and health systems across the state.
Because of staffing challenges seen across the state, including turnover and retention issues, this project will also work to come up with retention strategies.
