30 Years of Shaping Healers with Peggy Abels of the University of Nebraska at Kearney

Peggy Abels, Director of Health Sciences at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, joins Peter to share her 30-year journey guiding students into health care careers. She discusses her rural roots, the growing needs across Nebraska, and the programs UNK and UNMC have built to strengthen the state’s health care workforce.

Peggy walks through the creation of Health Science Explorers and the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP), explaining how these initiatives spark interest early, support first-generation students, and help rural communities build long-term access to care.

Key Takeaways:

00:00 Introduction.

01:48 Seeing rural roots shape her path toward health care service.

02:50 Nebraska’s rising need for a stronger rural health care workforce.

05:29 Health care education remains hands-on despite industry shifts.

07:17 KHOP supports rural students from college to eventual practice.

08:24 Nebraska builds a uniquely comprehensive health care workforce pipeline.

Resources Mentioned:

University of Nebraska at Kearney – Health Sciences | Website

Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP)

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