Academics

Exchanging Education & Savings for Real-World Experience

03 May 2016

Starting and strengthening relationships with health care employers is a top-priority outreach effort for Clarkson College. Between the annual Career Fair for Health Professions and a growing number of “lunch and learns” held at hospitals throughout Nebraska and in western Iowa, the College has been successful in establishing valuable partnerships with several key organizations—Shenandoah Medical Center (SMC) being one of them.

“So many benefits exist through our relationship with SMC,” said Stefanie Green, Clarkson College Academic Outreach Liaison. “In addition to opening their doors to our students for clinical rotations, we are also pleased to know that several of our recent graduates now work there.” Green and Admissions Director Denise Work hosted a “lunch and learn” at SMC on April 22, educating the hospital’s employees about the advanced-degree programs Clarkson College offers.

“One huge benefit for us is that we are a part of the Nebraska Medicine group, so our employees receive the discounted tuition rates,” said Julie Brammer, Human Resources Manager at SMC. The partnership agreement established with several area hospitals permits a tuition savings of around 30 percent for hospital employees, as well as spouses and children (age 23 and under), who enroll at Clarkson College. In addition, Brammer said SMC offers its own tuition reimbursement program, so employees are doubly incentivized to further their education.

The partnership benefits with SMC also work in the advantage of Clarkson College students. Just a month prior to the lunch and learn, SMC visited the Clarkson College campus as a second-time participant in the annual Career Fair for Health Professions. Brammer attended alongside SMC’s education coordinator to represent their organization, and both were very pleased with the experience. “It was awesome!” said Brammer of the career fair. “We got a ton of good candidates and were very impressed by so many of them.”

One such candidate was Nic Phelps, a second-year student in the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program. Brammer spoke with Phelps at the career fair about a PTA opening at SMC. “I applied as soon as the fair was over,” Phelps said. A couple of days later, he went in for an interview and received a tour of the facility. The good news came on April 15 when Brammer called Phelps with a job offer.

“Nic had some great clinical experience that made him stand out from other candidates,” Brammer said. “That’s something that is super important and that I think Clarkson College is really good about.” She added that finding people who meet SMC’s values, who are outgoing and demonstrate a true desire to help and care for people are also high on the list of qualifications.

Phelps started in his new position on May 2 and said he was slightly nervous about the transition but is ready for the experience. “I feel confident in the education I received from the amazing PTA teachers at Clarkson College,” he said. Because SMC is a rural setting, Phelps said his care plans will be more general to start but that his clinical experience with aquatics and geriatrics may lead to a more niche focus. He will join Clarkson College PTA alumni and current SMC clinicians Jayme Houdek, P.T.A.; Becky Lange, P.T.A.; and Eric Holste, D.P.T., P.T.A. Holste is the Rehab Services Director at SMC. He practiced for a few years after receiving his PTA degree and then returned to school to earn his doctorate.

Emily Oster, who received her Radiologic Technology (RT) degree from Clarkson College in December 2015 and her Medical Imaging degree this May, also holds a part-time position at SMC, and two RT students are currently completing their clinical rotations at the hospital.

“We’re proud to be able to help students in their learning and development,” Brammer said. “As an organization, it’s a good thing we offer as a steward to our community and to the medical field in general.”

Brammer said nearly 20 SMC employees from various departments attended the lunch and learn on April 22 and that many of them are very seriously considering furthering their degrees at Clarkson College.

Exchanging Education & Savings for Real-World Experience

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