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and provide support and guidance when it comes to academics. We also introduce them to a variety of training programs." Choosing the right school Taylor mentioned that guidance in finding the right school is important, too. She said it's not uncommon to hear students mention schools outside of the area like Baylor or Creighton. communities to expose students early to opportunities available to them in health care. We listen to their " interests and provide support and guidance when it comes to academics. We also introduce them to a variety of training programs." Ask anybody and they'll tell you that careers in health care are lucrative. For Missouri Area Health Education Center (AHEC), exposing youth to opportunities in health care is a key strategy in feeding the area's pipeline of "homegrown" health care professionals. For more than two decades, AHEC has operated on three central tenants: recruit, train and retain. Recruitment includes health care exploration programs designed for youth and adults, mentoring and career counseling. encompasses Training off-site instruction, clinical rotations and internships. Retention includes helping health care professionals with continuing education, helping doctors relocate to the area or finding ways to keep them in town. "Growing our own has been the approach we've taken over the years," said Stephanie Taylor, executive director of AHEC since 1999. "We go to small communities to expose students early to opportunities available to them in health We go to small "The reality is that in Missouri, there are six great schools for students interested in health professions," Taylor said. "This includes an abundance of nursing schools and training programs for allied health and technology." Want to be a doctor? Then Taylor said it is important for students to understand there are two different types of medical schools in Missouri — allopathic and osteopathic. "Historically, the philosophies of the two were quite different," Taylor said. "Allopathic medicine (M.D.) used more drugs and surgery to treat symptoms and causes of illness. Osteopathic medicine (D.O.) relied more on addressing the organic cause(s) of disease or illness. Osteopathy emphasizes the role of the musculoskeletal system in illness and disease, but still incorporates drugs and surgery as valid forms of treatment. Now, the medical training for an M.D. and D.O. are very comparable. Osteopathic complete physicians conventional residencies in hospitals and training programs, are licensed in all states and have rights and responsibilities that are equal to M.D. physicians." Missouri is also home to the very first osteopathic school, which was formed in Kirksville, in 1892 and still exists today as one of the premier osteopathic colleges in the country. Careers in Nursing Much like advising future doctors, AHEC helps students chart their path in nursing. "Okay, you want to be a nurse—then you need to decide what kind of nurse you want to be," Taylor said. "There's CNA, LPN, RN … there is a ladder. A lot of kids will say, 'I will go Lex La-Ray, get my LPN and then get my RN.' They see that ladder but as an advisor, my recommendation is different. I say if you are young, unmarried with no children, get your B.S.N. (Bachelor's of Science in Nursing)." For adults, her advice is a little different. She said for someone who has worked for many years and decides that it is time for a change of pace, going to school for four years may not be the best option. "In this instance, we'd turn it the other way and say, 'You can get an LPN in one year and get a job at a clinic. After you've been there for a year and decide you like it, there are bridge programs that will take you to the next step,'" Taylor said. Bridge programs take a student's current educational experience and propel that person to the next step. For instance, a person who wants to bridge from an R.N. to a B.S.N. will receive a couple of semesters of theoretical instruction on topics such as management communication, etc., and couple that with the clinical training already received. In a year or so, that R.N. will bridge to a B.S.N. Telehealth jobs West Central Missouri's move to telehealth (the delivery of health-related services via t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s technology) offers a wide-open door for individuals looking to cash in big in health information technology. Industry experts describe the influx of jobs as a "growing phenomenon." Positions range from radiology and home health to emergency room R.N.s, workflow consultants and much more. Educational requirements get more stringent Although health care jobs are plentiful, Taylor said obtaining the education is getting tougher. "Unless you are looking for a career as a tech or one that requires an associate's degree, things are going to a master's level," Taylor said. "Nurse practitioners are now looking to obtain a doctor of nurse practice (D.N.P.); pharmacists and physical therapists are working toward six-year doctorate-level degrees." To this end, early preparation is key. "Health profession training programs are becoming increasingly competitive. High school students won't likely be accepted without first having investigated career choices, volunteered in their community, participated in health exploration activities, and demonstrated that they have a vested interest in the program they are applying for," Taylor said. AHEC helps students prepare for acceptance into these programs through the AHEC Career Enhancement Scholars program (ACES) and partnerships with schools to provide school-based health career exploration activities. skills, Learn more about AHEC programs and services AHEC is hosted by the Health Care Collaborative of Rural Missouri in Lexington, MO., and serves the following counties in Missouri: Johnson, Lafayette, Jackson and Cass. To learn more about AHEC's training programs and services, or to request a visit at your school or organization, contact Stephanie Taylor at 660.259.2440 or visit www.wcmoahec.org. To find an AHEC in your area, visit www.mahec.org.