Marc Hahn and Ken Johnson quoted in Bangor Daily News story on attracting health care professionals to rural Maine

The Bangor Daily News on Sept. 30, 2011 ran a story on a conference in Bar Harbor titled “Growing Our Own,” during which state officials and health professionals explored ideas for attracting young Mainers into health care fields and retaining them to serve in the state’s rural communities.The story focuses on a guest speaker's belief that the key to the problem is to place health professions students in rural practices during their professional educations and in their post-graduate clinical residencies.

Marc Hahn, D.O., dean of UNE's College of Osteopathic Medicine (photo), quoted in the story, explained that UNE students from many health disciplines find placements in rural hospitals and medical practices and that UNE’s new dental school also is partnering with federally subsidized health centers around the state to place students in clinical practices.

Since its founding in 1978, Hahn said, UNECOM has been a primary educator of the medical work force in Maine and New England.

Of the 124 students starting their osteopathic training at UNE this fall, 23 are from Maine. UNECOM Associate Dean Kenneth Johnson, D.O., said UNECOM gives some preference to Maine applicants who express an interest in primary care and have some work experience in a health care setting.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.