Program Prepares Students for Healthcare Careers
The new Allied Health and Medical Device Institute has been developed in Okaloosa County to link the education and training of secondary school students with local resources.
The aim of this endeavor is to develop a more highly skilled workforce to support local health care and life science industries as well as to attract new industries to this area. It is hoped that this will provide more high wage and high demand jobs in Okaloosa County.
The AHMDI consists of collaborations between the Okaloosa County school district, Okaloosa-Walton College, and the University of West Florida. High school students will enroll in specific series of courses in allied health, coupled with dual enrollment and advanced placement courses in their high school, and complete internships in appropriate health care settings. This course of study will lead students directly from high school into college tracks that support their career goals.
Associate, Baccalaureate, and graduate degree programs are designed to dovetail perfectly with the secondary education courses of study. The School of Allied Health and Life Sciences at UWF has designed career specific pathways for students, based entirely at UWF or in partnerships with other Florida universities. Career tracks include: physician, nursing, pharmacist, health care ethicist, allied medical support, environmental health, public health (including epidemiology, emergency management, readiness, and response), clinical laboratory science, medical informatics, and infection control.
According to Dr. George Stewart, the Director of SAHLS, "These pathways will provide seamless avenues into careers in health-related fields for students graduating from Okaloosa schools. UWF is pleased and proud to be a key player in this project."
The AHMDI is supported by grants from Florida's Great Northwest and Workforce Florida. In addition, Hager Orthopedic Group has agreed to provide instructors, technical and material support, as well as future funding.
For more information see the SAHLS website at http://www.uwf.edu/sahls or to schedule an interview with Dr. George Stewart call (850) 473-7226 or e-mail gstewart@uwf.edu.