Promoting Health Careers

Spencer, WV, 2004

Roane County, WV has been designated both a “Medically Underserved Area” and a “Health Professions Shortage Area.” Like other rural communities throughout West Virginia, Roane County faces a severe shortage of trained health care professionals.

Promoting Health Careers engaged and educated ninth grade and early high school students about opportunities for health careers in a rural community. WYRC-LP, a low power FM non-commercial radio station in Spencer, WV operated by Roane County Schools, used the station's “Contemporary Hit Radio” format to target middle and early high school aged youth.

The project promoted health careers among students in the spirit of “grow your own,” where communities recruit and train local youth to fulfill much-needed professional roles. The WYRC-LP programming brought the topic of health careers in rural areas to the attention to students in a way that interested them. In addition to the radio programming, outreach activities were conducted in partnership with Roane County School System, Roane General Hospital, Roane Family Health Care, Westbrook Mental Health Services and other community partners.

An annual health fair was hosted at the high school through the school-based health center and community partners. The programming from WYRC-LP linked with the health fair and other activities to extend health career outreach further into the community.

To promote the project, brochures, posters and other promotional materials targetted teens with information on exciting health careers and the advantages of living in rural communities. In addition, Roane County High School's local cable TV channel, WRCH-TV, produced and aired a short, special program dealing with rural health care, utilizing the station's high school “air talent” and participating local health care providers.