ISU continues its legacy of commitment to expanding the impact of health science education across Idaho by harnessing the power of partnerships to provide transformational education to students. This includes assessing and managing the statewide needs related to educating and training Idaho’s health care workforce. This mission is driven by thousands of faculty, alumni, and students who are devoted to improving health care access and helping others.
With approximately 12,000 students, one-third of whom are enrolled in a health professions degree or certificate program, ISU is the epicenter for health care education in Idaho. Program offerings include nursing, physician assistant studies, social work, counseling, radiographic science, respiratory therapy, and many more of Idaho’s most in-demand jobs.
ISU recently announced collaborations with Lewis-Clark State College and the University of Idaho to expand its existing physician assistant program into North Idaho. This expansion will create opportunities for students in Moscow, Lewiston and surrounding areas to join existing robust programs at ISU campuses in Pocatello and Meridian, along with an established partnership with the College of Idaho in Caldwell. Additional collaborations include accelerated nursing partnerships with Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene and St. Luke’s Magic Valley in Twin Falls, allowing students in those locations to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing in as little as 12 months.
In many of ISU’s health programs, ISU students learn by incorporating simulation manikins.
ISU guarantees two seats in its master of occupational therapy program for Boise State University graduates, and continues in its eighth year of providing pharmacy education in Anchorage, AK in collaboration with the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
ISU’s Kasiska Division of Health Sciences plans to enhance its educational and research partnerships with the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) located on ISU’s Meridian campus this year as well. As plans are made to expand health degree programs to meet the growing workforce needs in Idaho, ICOM and ISU will work closely together to enhance and improve existing infrastructure and program offerings that allow for future growth in health care fields critical in caring for Idaho’s citizens.
Another new collaboration with Umpqua Community College (UCC) in Roseburg, Oregon is aimed at expanding the service area of the undergraduate social work program. The ISU social work program will designate seats in their online program to qualified students in Roseburg. This will allow students there to pursue a bachelor’s degree without leaving their home community. Students who complete the bachelor of arts in social work (BASW) program at ISU will have the opportunity to apply for the ISU online Master of Social Work program.
Master’s-level social workers are equipped to engage in clinical practice and deliver mental health care, a service that is in high demand in rural communities nationwide. ISU and UCC are investigating additional collaborative opportunities in the health sciences to further support and enhance rural communities across the west.
Partnerships with health systems across the state also allow students to gain hands-on experience through clinical training rotations, bringing their skills to both urban and rural facilities with critical needs. Students completing clinical rotations work and serve 35 of Idaho’s 44 counties.
“Our partnerships exemplify our commitment to interprofessional education and expanding patient care,” ISU President Robert W. Wagner explained. “Together, we are fostering collaborations that advance scholarship and, more importantly, address Idaho’s health care workforce needs. With the growth of nearly 700 additional health sciences students over the last five years and record graduation numbers, Idaho State University is at the forefront of developing the next generation of health care professionals across the state.”
A nursing student practices caring for a baby using a simulated incubator.
Further expansion plans include:
- Nutrition and Dietetics expansion to Meridian beginning with Fall 2024 cohort
- New Psychiatry Clinic in Pocatello open July 2024
- New Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist program in Meridian beginning with Fall 2025 cohort
- Meridian Health Science Center expansion - 23 acres in development
- Planned Dental Hygiene expansion to Meridian
Over the course of many decades, ISU and its supportive partners have built a living legacy with an ever-expanding health care alliance across Idaho. It takes a comprehensive team of physicians, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, dieticians, and others working together to realize the most beneficial outcomes for patients. Innovative delivery models and a robust network of partnerships provide students with a wealth of educational opportunities and diverse learning environments. ISU is committed to seeking, growing and establishing new partnerships with organizations that share its dedication to providing high-quality health care in Idaho. This focus will continue to be a priority now and into the future.