UNMC, NU’s Medical Center in Omaha, partners with the University of Nebraska at Kearney to educate more rural physicians

In recognition of the demand for more family physicians in rural Nebraska, UNMC and UNK announced today a new partnership called the Kearney Health Opportunities Program, or “KHOP.” The program will target high school seniors interested in family medicine.
The program works like this:
• Five students a year will be accepted into the program starting with the 2010-2011 class this fall. Applications are being accepted now.
• For the 2011-2012 class the deadline to apply is Dec. 1, 2010.
• The students will be accepted into KHOP in their senior year of high school.
• After completing their undergraduate studies at UNK, they will automatically be accepted into medical school at UNMC, provided they maintain an acceptable grade point average.
• The students will receive a tuition waiver for their time at UNK but will have to pay tuition and compete for scholarships when they get to UNMC.
• Acceptance into the program is based on academic standing, ACT scores, community involvement and a desire to return to rural Nebraska.
The program is similar to “RHOP,” the Rural Health Opportunities Program, started in 1990 in partnership with Chadron State College and Wayne State College.