RUC students participate in Healthcare Workforce Roundtable with Rep. Ben Cline

On Aug. 20, three Radford University Carilion (RUC) students participated in a Healthcare Workforce Roundtable with U.S. Rep. Ben Cline at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM).

The students who attended were Angela Howard, a senior in the respiratory therapy program; Reilly Marrs, a senior in the physician assistant program; and Katelyn Lucas, a senior in the emergency services program and ambassador for the Blue Ridge Partnership for Health Science Careers. The RUC students were joined by RUC leadership, VTCSOM students and leaders, and others working in healthcare professions across the region.

Attendees shared their thoughts on topics such as physician shortages, challenges in serving rural communities and the residency matching program.

"I think this meeting was important because it allowed us to share our perspectives on the medical needs of people in rural areas," Marrs said. "We were also able to brainstorm ideas for recruiting healthcare workers to educate future generations."

Lucas added that during the roundtable, she learned about the differences between what healthcare professionals in hospitals and clinics struggle with versus what she and her fellow first responders deal with in the field.

"I feel like it was an important event for a student like me to attend because I got to experience different prospectives from each of the participants at the meeting," Lucas said. "I think more students should attend meetings like this so they understand what their colleagues are facing on a daily basis."