Project Summary:
Wisconsin faces a growing rural healthcare workforce shortage that limits timely access to care and contributes to persistent health disparities. With 46 of 72 counties (64%) classified as rural, provider shortages in primary care, oral health, and behavioral health are systemic and more pronounced in Southwest Wisconsin, where capacity lags behind state averages, contributing to delayed care and poorer health outcomes. At the same time, the K–12 pipeline into health professions is limited, with fragmented career exploration, uneven access to credentialed pathways, and barriers that reduce participation among rural and economically disadvantaged students. The Rural Health Careers Academy (RHCA) will address this priority need by establishing a coordinated, employer-engaged, and credential-aligned regional pipeline that builds a sustainable, home-grown healthcare workforce. By aligning K–12 districts, postsecondary partners, and healthcare employers, RHCA will provide early student identification, sequenced career exploration, dual credit and industry-recognized credentials, Youth Apprenticeships, and employer-based experiences that guide students from early exposure through credential attainment and postsecondary transition into high-demand healthcare careers. By strengthening this home-grown pipeline and embedding cross-sector infrastructure, the project will increase credentialed entry into local health professions, improve timely access to care, and advance health equity for residents of Southwest Wisconsin while creating a scalable model to support rural regions statewide.
Community Partners: MCW Radiation Oncology/Academic Affairs, MCW Family and Community Medicine, Iowa County Public Health/Administration, Upland Hills Health Hospitals & Clinics/Administration, Crossing Rivers Health, Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Southwest Technical College, and Wisconsin Area Health Education Center