Healthcare is rarely taken for granted, especially in rural North Dakota where hospitals and clinics deal with nurse and physician shortages.

An instructor at Minot State University is addressing the healthcare needs of the region through her students.

The Minot State University Nursing Department is doing its part in easing the nursing shortage by admitting more students. But there`s one problem. As part of the curriculum, future nurses are required to spend time with mentors in the field. And there aren`t enough mentors to go around.

“Maybe we could use our students as a workforce. As an untapped workforce to address some of those issues in our community,” says Nikki Medalen, a Public Health Nursing Instructor.

Medalen`s students are working on a plan to create a health clinic on the MSU campus. They did some research and presented the idea to the university and public health officials.

“Take a look at what it would take to run a student/faculty run nursing clinic here on campus. The results were pretty overwhelming in support,” says Medalen.

The facility would address healthcare needs while providing real world experience for students. Read more