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Accelerated Healthcare Licensure and Employment for Medically Trained Veterans

Addressing healthcare worker shortages through training and placement of medics and corpsmen in critical frontline positions

Full Project Name:Accelerated Healthcare Licensure and Employment for Medically Trained VeteransPrimary Community Organization:Heroes for HealthcarePrimary Academic Partner:Erich Roush, PsyD, Psychiatry and Behavioral MedicineAward Amount:$250,000
Award Date
July2024
Project Duration:24 months

Project Summary:


Addressing the shortage of frontline healthcare workers in Wisconsin is a pressing public health concern, due to an aging population and increasing demand for healthcare services. This project focuses on creating accelerated licensing pathways for medics, corpsmen, and Air Force technicians (MCMTs) to fill these gaps and enhance healthcare workforce capacity.

The project aims to expand the Wisconsin Military Medics and Corpsmen Program (WisMAC) to include MCMTs transitioning from military service. By partnering with medical facilities and educational institutions, WisMAC will provide MCMTs with employment in high-need healthcare positions such as surgical technicians, respiratory therapists, radiology/imaging technicians, and lab technicians. Participants will undergo training and licensure under supervision, addressing skill gaps and ensuring readiness for frontline healthcare roles.

Implementing WisMAC will have significant impacts on Wisconsin's healthcare system by increasing access to care and improving health equity. By integrating medically trained veterans into healthcare settings through streamlined licensing pathways, the project not only addresses workforce shortages but also supports career advancement opportunities for veterans from underrepresented backgrounds. This initiative will benefit veterans and enhance patient care and healthcare delivery statewide, making it an important step towards sustainable healthcare workforce solutions in Wisconsin.

Outcomes & Lessons Learned:


  • Fostered the development of healthcare workforce pathways in high-need and underserved rural and urban communities to aid the transition from military medics, corpsmen, and medical technicians into nursing and other frontline healthcare professions
  • Improved career pathways and created opportunities for growth in careers such as surgical technology, laboratory technology, respiratory therapy, and radiologic/imaging technology
  • Implemented an Education Task Force to conduct a national scoping review of higher education programs that award Military Credit for Prior Learning (MCPL) toward accelerated undergraduate nursing degrees
  • Partnered with 22 healthcare delivery organizations

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