Indigenous peoples around the country have a new opportunity to enter the medical field for free. It’s a way to funnel tribal members into careers while filling healthcare gaps.
Health Tech Academy, a company that offers online medical training and fills staffing shortages, is partnering with the Jackson, Wyoming-based nonprofit Native American Jump Start, which helps “jumpstart” tribal members’ college and employment careers.
They’ll offer three-to-six-month trainings to help people become medical assistants, surgical techs, dental assistants, pharmacy techs and more.
According to Karla Coleman with Health Tech Academy, these jobs are stepping stones into the healthcare world and positions that can be hard to fill.
“We're not only able to help people get a start in this industry, but we can also help them build their own community by staying in their community,” Coleman said.
Native American Jump Start will help enroll Indigenous students, first advertising the program in Wyoming and then expanding to neighboring tribes on the Great Plains or Navajo Nation.
Applicants just need to have a high school diploma or a GED certificate and be able to describe the financial gaps they face.
David Deschenes, with Native American Jump Start, said they’ll award grants to qualifying applicants that could make the entire program free.
“To gain an education, gain the skill set, the accreditation, and the skills needed to then go ahead and find employment back on the reservation community,” Deschenes said.
Compared to other U.S. populations, Indigenous peoples see higher mortality rates and more chronic conditions — partly due to being far away from quality care. Deschenes said he hopes this partnership could help bridge that gap.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
