The laboratory and data sciences fields have experienced a severe shortage of professionals and face challenges with recruiting prospective students into lab and data sciences programs. Now, faculty within the College of Health Professions have created a new program to enhance recruitment and introduce high school students to lab and data science careers.
“There is a large gap in rural areas of Tennessee regarding interest and awareness of these professions, especially in high schools, when many students are beginning their educational training for careers,” said Jacen Moore, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Diagnostic and Health Sciences. “Many training programs have closed due to the difficulty of recruiting students, and we need a way to not only increase the knowledge about the professions, but also fill vacancies in the professional environment.”
“In this way, we’re not only creating the materials to educate teachers and students, but also creating pipelines for those students to pursue these careers as they progress through high school and college,” Dr. Moore said.
High School to Health Care received support through the National Institute of Health’s Science Education Partnership Award, and last fall, the program was awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The funding will be used to purchase lab equipment, virtual reality headsets, and additional materials to assist the program’s operations and outreach.
Read more at out UTHSC news site.