Improving Student Success in Allied Health Programs at the University of Alaska Anchorage MP4 Video Consortium for Healthcare Education Online Career Coach Professional Development Webinar February 10, 2014

The School of Allied Health at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) has forged an intense effort to provide allied health training opportunities, especially so over the previous decade. UAA currently offers 82 programs in nursing, behavioral health, allied health, public health, and medical practice. Prior to 2002, UAA offered only four programs by distance. As of December 2009, UAA offered a total of 46 distance delivered healthcare programs/course offerings. In conjunction with this growth, one goal of the School of Allied Health is to create an environment that promotes student success by providing on-going support and personalized attention, identifying and breaking down system barriers, and acting as a guide and advocate for students. Hernandez talks about the Denali Trainee Success Program, a grant funded project, whose three overarching goals were to: 1. Address rural Alaska allied health workforce needs; 2. Improve access for rural students to the University’s allied health programs; and 3. Engage in closer and ongoing partnerships with rural employers. This project laid the groundwork for on-going student support for students enrolled in allied health programs at UAA. Funding supported research to identify the root causes for low enrollment and why students did not succeed in their program of study. Hernandez, then an academic advisor for allied health, is still heavily involved in this project. Hernandez discusses several barriers identified in that research and how UAA has applied that information to remove those barriers to help students succeed in their allied health programs. Lynda Hernandez delivered this professional development webinar on February 10, 2014 to Consortium for Healthcare Education Online (CHEO) career coaches. About the Presenter: Lynda Hernandez is a lifelong Alaskan and has spent the entirety of her professional career working in health programs for the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). Hernandez started her career in student services working with a high school summer program for youth interested in health careers. Since then, she has been committed to promoting the development of health programs in both rural and urban settings. Hernandez currently works full-time for the UAA School of Allied Health as a Student Success Coordinator. She recruits students for Allied Health programs, provides academic advising to new and continuing students, and organizes division-wide K-12 outreach efforts to promote health careers. She also helps coordinate summer opportunities for middle and high school students interested in health occupations.