Summary

A recent Alaska health occupation study shows about 3500 vacancies in medical and health related occupations at any one time.  Nine of the top ten fastest growing occupations in Alaska are in health care fields.  

Hospitals and other health care institutions are experiencing high vacancy rates for nurses, doctors and other health professionals, including, radiological techs, physical therapists, medical office specialists, lab assistants and dental assistants.   Expenses for recruitment and for out-of-state itinerant workers amount to tens of millions of dollars a year.

In collaboration with the health care industry, UA has initiated an aggressive plan to increase training in a wide array of health and medical occupations, including nurses and medical students in the WWAMI program.  UA awarded 717 degrees and certificates in 2007, a 47% increase in just five years. 

Nursing has been a particular focus of the UA health initiative, with the number of graduate nurses increasing from 96 in 2002, to over 200 in 2006.

UA’s health care initiatives have been designed to meet the need for health care workers in both rural and urban Alaska.  By incorporating distance delivery and collaborations between campuses, the two-year nursing program is now offered in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka, Kodiak, Bethel, Ketchikan, Kenai and Palmer.

History has proven that health care workers trained in the state stay here after graduation and increase the pool from which Alaska’s health care organizations can recruit.  Specifically, nearly 80% of UA health care graduates remain in the state after graduation.

Program expansions to date have been funded with support from industry, from grants, contracts and corporate donations.  This support will continue, but it isn’t sufficient to support the growing demand for health care professionals, the programs need to secure a firm base of state funding.

Board of Regents' FY09 Operating Request includes the following for Nursing, Physician & Allied Health Programs:

UAA:    $1,506.3 million GF – Anchorage Campus
Funds for expanding AAS Nursing program; enhancing BS Nursing; expanding Dental Hygiene; enhancing Master of Public Health (MPH); expanding WWAMI Physician program; development of Physician Assistant, Occupational & Physical Therapy programs; expand BS in Health Sciences; Support for Alaska Area Health Education Center (AHEC); Health program planning & coordination; enhance BS & Master’s Psychology program.
Anchorage, Kenai, MAT-SU Campus:  expand Paramedic Program ($160.5)
   
UAF:    $80.6 thousand GF – Fairbanks Campus
Funds for enhancing BS & Master’s Psychology program TVC Campus:  expand Dental Hygiene & Paramedic ($315.1); Bristol Bay Campus:  Allied Health ($94.4) Rural & Community Development:  Allied Health ($82.4); Community Health Aide ($98.8)

UAS:    $79.7 thousand GF – Sitka Campus
Funds for the Personal Care Attendant & Certified Nurse Assistant program

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For Information Contact:
Pete Kelly, Director, State Relations
450-8006/465-2382