Workforce Development
Health Science Education & Training
Workforce development is one of the main focus areas of the UM OHRP. The UM OHRP will work with both partners at the University of Montana and with healthcare and public health workforce partners to address health science education and training needs in the state.
Training Partners:
We work with a number of different on-campus training partners to develop and deliver health science education and training that meets the needs of healthcare, public health, and biomedical science providers in Montana.
UM Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development
Training Programs
Current Training Programs:
Our training programs include the following principles
- Utilize input and feedback from workforce partners to ensure training meets the current needs
- Use a distance, accelerated training model for equitable access and quick entry into the workforce
- Skills and case studies based so that students get real-world, applicable training to enter the workforce prepared
Montana Preceptor Training
The Montana Preceptor Training is an online, self-paced course for healthcare preceptors to provide thoughtful, tailored support that will help improve retention and job satisfaction among healthcare workers in our state.
Participants will develop the following skills from this training:
• Increase skills and confidence in precepting the next generation of healthcare providers
• Improve new healthcare worker retention
Integrated Behavioral Health Care Manager Training
This training will prepare trainees to become behavioral health care managers in a clinical setting that offers integrated behavioral health. The Integrated Behavioral Health Care Manager will work directly with a primary care provider(s) to deliver brief behavioral health interventions in the primary care setting. The training will cover the SAMSHA-HRSA integrated behavioral core competencies to ensure that the trainees are well prepared to provide behavioral health services in a primary care/integrated behavioral health setting. The training will include 145 hours of skills-based + case-studies instruction in conjunction with on-the-job training. If you are interested in having an employee complete this training, contact Portia O'Connell.
Health Science Course Design Training for High School Teachers
This professional development experience is a self-paced, online training to provide high school science teachers with the following:
- Educate high school science teachers about the requirements for a dual-credit Anatomy & Physiology course.
- Demonstrate how the Montana Science Standards/NGSS can be incorporated into this type of course.
- Demonstrate how to incorporate the 2019 National Health Science Standards into this type of course.
- Explain the difference between high school credit, college credit, dual credit, and career and technical education (CTE) coursework.
- Develop and implement an inquiry-based science curriculum based on best practices in learning and Anatomy & Physiology.
- Provide resources on Anatomy & Physiology, CTE, NGSS, and Inquiry-based instruction.
Once completing the training a teacher will receive 40 CEUs and a complete BIOH 104/105 curriculum to use in their classroom. This course does not cover Anatomy & Physiology content, teachers are expected to already have a background in Anatomy & Physiology. This training can be used to meet some of the requirements for a Montana Class 4A CTE license.
Click Here to Register.
Dual-Credit Instructor Requirements:
- Master's Degree in the content area or a Master's of Education + 9 graduate credits in the content area
- Some teachers may be eligible for a temporary waiver for this requirement
- Montana Class 1,2, or 4 license
- Undergraduate coursework in Anatomy & Physiology
Reach Higher Montana Health Science Teacher Externship
The OHRP has partnered with Reach Higher Montana to support its Health Science Externship Program. We have created a graduate-level course for those who complete the Externship Program so they can earn graduate-level credit.
This graduate-level independent study course provides teachers with a hands-on learning experience in a healthcare setting. High School teachers will learn about many different healthcare career fields and the skills needed to be in those fields.
We will help you achieve the objectives of the course through written assignments. This course will also help teachers meet the requirements for teaching a dual-credit A&P course and obtain a class 4A licensure in health professions education through the Montana Office of Public Instruction.
Health Professions Essentials Microcredential
The Health Professions Essentials Microcredential Program provides students from high school through the underclassmen college level with a solid introductory knowledge/skills base for entering either a health professions degree program or an entry-level healthcare career. The coursework for this program is a combination of credit/non-credit courses. The for-credit coursework is offered as either dual-credit or online options. This coursework would also qualify many students to enroll in entry-level healthcare certification programs such as CNA, Medical Coding, and EMT. To get started contact the Missoula College Dual Enrollment Program.
Missoula College Pre-Health Professions Studies Certificate of Technical Studies
The UM OHRP and Missoula College partnered to develop a C.T.S. degree program for high school dual-credit students. This program is geared toward high school students interested in the health profession field. All of the courses in this program are offered as dual-credit options so students can complete them either in their high school or online through Missoula College. The program is made up of health science foundational and/or pre-requisite coursework for the UM/Missoula College health profession programs. Contact the Missoula College Dual Enrollment Program to learn more.
UM-Bitterroot Health Profession Programs
We have been supporting the University of Montana-Bitterroot revamp its health profession program offerings. This includes the development of the Ravalli County Healthcare Workforce Advisory Board which has partners from local K-12 School Districts, Bitterroot College, and Healthcare Facilities. We are currently exploring ways to expand access to the CNA and CMA programs, while also exploring offering new programs in social work and medical laboratory technology.
Missoula College Certified Medical Assistant Program
In partnership with the Missoula College Medical Assisting Program, we helped adapt the associate-level program into a certificate of technical studies in medical assisting that can be completed in under 9 months. Not only was the program adapted so students could more rapidly enter the healthcare workforce but was also developed with high school students in mind. The classroom instruction is 100% online and can be completed asynchronously so both high school students and adult learners can access this training. Students also complete a clinical internship which can be done at a local healthcare facility.