WINDING ROADS HEALTH CONSORTIUM
A BRIEF HISTORY AND OVERVIEW

The West Virginia Rural Health Education Partnerships (WVRHEP), is a health professions education initiative that encourages our institutions to prepare health professions students for community based, comprehensive, primary health care.

Roane County was a Kellogg Community Partnerships site beginning in 1992.We have now expanded the program (July 1, 1996) to include Jackson County. Since our first student in 1992, we have gained the support of many businesses, organizations and individuals that have recognized the tremendous benefits the program has brought to our communities.

We have field professors in medicine, pharmacy and dentistry, nursing , physical therapy, mid-wifery and clinical psychology. There are preceptors in many medical specialties, especially at Jackson General Hospital. In addition to the educational contact that students have with our local hospitals, mental health centers, geriatric care facilities, and health departments, many others have provided clinical contacts for the students with hands-on and observation opportunities.

Students rotations range from 1-6 months and free housing is available. All students participate in a weekly, 2 hour interdisciplinary session, that involves both problem-based and student-centered learning. Community Diagnosis models are the basis of research projects and the Spencer site is highly involved with the PATCH (Planned Approach To Community Health) model. Community Outreach is an aspect of the student's experience that has given so much to our community.

The students presentations to schools, community and business organizations on various health care issues as well as developing and implementing immunization, blood pressure and general health care clinics, have provided insight to both student and community on the need for comprehensive primary care.

To support the students rural based educational curriculum, the Learning Resource Centers provide the traditional in-house library references (texts & manuals) and access to the Internet System. This electronic process enables them to access not only campus based materials but numerous other systems, each having e-mail, news, and research capabilities.

The LRC is being utilized by various community groups and its health related resources is being made available to the larger medical community and others as finances and time allow. There are two computers at the Jackson General Hospital site with Internet access and word processing software. Roane General Hospital is a partner in the MDTV system.

We participate in the Health Sciences Technology Academy, a program aimed at minority and economically disadvantaged 8-12 graders, to improve their science, math and leadership skills in addition to encouraging them towards a health professions career. This is currently operating in Roane and Calhoun counties and may be expanded to Jackson county in the future.