Rural health departments continue to face challenges in recruiting new professionals, especially in programs like environmental health and dentistry. Michele Gabriel, Public Health Administrator and CEO of the Knox County Health Department, says they are looking for new ways to bring students into rural communities earlier in their training. Gabriel notes that assistant administrator William Hayes has been working with area colleges to help expand those opportunities.
“We’re looking at increasing our availability for internships, particularly in environmental health programs where there’s a lack of applicants. I know Will’s (William Hayes, Assistant Administrator at Knox County Department) working with some of the colleges in the area to see if we can get individuals through so they have that health department experience. We just recently recruited two dentists successfully after two and a half years of being without dentists. we’re looking at, can we sign on with a dental school to bring dental students through and rotation into those rural areas again, so they get a taste of what rural life is like.”
Gabriel says the goal is to expose more students to public health and rural clinics, and encourage them to stay and serve local communities.
