Francis Tuttle Planning Biomedical Sciences Academy

By Jeffrey Knapp
Francis Tuttle Technology Center

Francis Tuttle officials studying the feasibility of implementing a Biomedical Sciences Academy, and have found a great deal of support for the concept from industry and education partners. Following a Health Care Workforce Summit at Francis Tuttle's Reno campus, Francis Tuttle, CareerTech, medical industry and high school partners met to discuss plans for the Academy.

One of the major goals will be to engage industry in all phases of education to prepare students for the rigor of university programs, as well as to compensate for the growing concern of a healthcare worker shortage.

Many issues face the healthcare industry now and in the near future, key among them a shortage of qualified workers, according to findings published in the Governor's Council on Workforce and Economic Development's Oklahoma Health Care Industry Workforce 2006 Report.

Also noted in the report is a growing trend of faculty shortages for healthcare education, in addition to expected increases in the average age of Oklahomans. "Statistics show that we are living longer," commented Francis Tuttle Health Sciences Director Jody Wemhaner. "Couple the aging of all Oklahomans with a reduced workforce, add the concern of a shortage of healthcare faculty and you see an alarming trend that we're responding to."

The Academy approach is not new to Francis Tuttle. A Pre-Engineering Academy was piloted in 2003 to respond to a shortage of engineers and engineering students that were prepared for the rigor of a university engineering program. Last year's graduating class of 40 tallied 38 enrolled as engineering majors in colleges and universities, with the majority enrolled in state institutions.

Like the Pre-Engineering Academy, the proposed Biomedical Sciences Academy would also include an advanced math and science curriculum and Project Lead The Way, a national program which features partnerships among public schools, higher education institutions and the private sector to increase the quantity and quality of graduating engineers and engineering technologists.

Although not entirely determined, the first year curriculum, as proposed, would include pre-AP algebra II, geometry and chemistry, as well as selected biomedical electives to maintain a medical sciences focus. The second year would include pre-AP trigonometry and pre-calculus, and additional courses in anatomy and physiology, while the third year would include biotechnical engineering, a research component and pre-AP microbiology and pathophysiology.

"Like our current healthcare programs, students could explore the healthcare and medical community prior to entering college. This would give them a head start if they were to choose to enter a medical degree plan," said Wemhaner.

Recommendations from the Governor's Council on Workforce and Economic Development include: 1) education and healthcare industry partners must increase the number of Oklahomans who enter and complete a healthcare education program in key priority areas; 2) the Oklahoma healthcare industry and their government and education partners must develop new and innovative programs to recruit and retain a sufficient and quality workforce; 3) Oklahoma's economic development community and its partners must continue to promote the importance of the industry and monitor Oklahoma's health care workforce to maintain an adequate number of workers.

Francis Tuttle is well poised to respond, with a growing number of healthcare industry partners, in addition to facilities that replicate the healthcare environment.