Pre-Health Society 2023 Matriculation
Pre-Health Society 2023 Matriculation
All fourteen of NEOAHEC's Pre-Health Society 2023 cohort have matriculated onto medical school! This program is in the third year collaborating with the Eastern Oregon University Pre-Professional Health Club (PPHC), and it has maintained a 100% matriculation rate thanks to the dedication of our students, team, and the EOU Pre-Professional Health Club and their advisor. NEOAHEC's own previous Program Coordinator, Hailey Hulse, has also made this step forward in her career.
You don't have to work with Hailey to know how enthusiastic she is about NEOAHEC's mission to increase healthcare services in rural areas because of struggles with her own health issues growing up and into adulthood. The Elkhorn Media Group recently published an article about Hailey's ambition and dedication, and she was recently awarded the Those Who Endure Annual Scholarship from the Enduring Minds Foundation to attend the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford as part of the Rural Medical Education Program. After completing her education, she aspires to be a rural Orthopedic Surgeon.
While Hailey's story is phenomenally heartwarming, it's unfortunately all too common. The healthcare workforce shortage is a major issue faced nationwide, and it's especially apparent in the rural and frontier areas that NEOAHEC serves. Whether it is lack of educational opportunities close to home, being unaware of the opportunities that exist in healthcare, or unique obstacles along the pathway, developing rural healthcare workforce is a challenge.
NEOAHEC believes there is a place for everyone in healthcare and the need for everyone to feel welcome is evidenced in our region’s large number of diverse health careers job postings. NEOAHEC was recently awarded a one-year planning grant through Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) future ready funds to develop a state certified pre-apprenticeship program for healthcare. Starting in the La Grande community, NEOAHEC’s goal is to work collaboratively with the education and healthcare industry to develop a scalable program that increases the exposure to the breadth of health careers. These are essential skills for students to be career ready and to help increase our region’s access to th healthcare workforce.
Please join NEOAHEC in congratulating Hailey and all the Pre-Health Society students who are continuing their journey in healthcare.
Congratulations to our 2023 Graduating Cohort!
Registered Nurse (RN)
Madelyn Nichols | Heppner, OR | Eastern Oregon University
Oregon Health Sciences University School of Nursing | La Grande, OR
Physician Associate (PA)
Kate Averett | Baker City, OR | University of Idaho
George Fox University | Newberg, OR
Elizabeth Ann Kippes | Baker City, OR | Eastern Oregon University
Rocky Mountain College |Billings, MT
Rosalie Salisbury | Puyallup, WA | Eastern Oregon University
University of Washington (UW) | Seattle, WA
Doctor of Medicine & Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (MD & DO)
Zarryn Duong | Kennewick, WA | Washington State University
University of Washington (UW), Spokane, WA
Quentin Durfee | La Grande, OR | Eastern Oregon University
Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
Haley Fonceca | Boise, ID | Eastern Oregon University
Idaho College of Medicine (ICOM) | Meridian, ID
Trent Henderson | Bend, OR | Oregon State University
Des Moines University (DMU) Des Moines, IA
Hailey Hulse | Cove, OR | Lewis & Clark State College
University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford | Rockford Illinois
Austen Kalivas | Pocatello, ID | Eastern Oregon University
The State University of New York Upstate Medical University Syracuse, NY
Deon Nguyen | Honolulu, HI | Eastern Oregon University
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) | Yakima, WA
Paige Ravelo | Beaverton, OR | University of Portland
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) | Yakima, WA
Noah Szumski | Summerville, OR | Oregon State University
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) | Yakima, WA
Jonathan Wolotira | Pendleton, OR | Blue Mountain Community College & Eastern Oregon University
Idaho College of Medicine (ICOM) | Meridian, ID