Magnolia, Ark. (KATV) — Southern Arkansas University (SAU) recently celebrated the successful completion of a transformative public health initiative, funded by the Arkansas Department of Health through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The $1.5 million project, launched in 2022, provided hands-on training to over 100 SAU student interns and advanced public health efforts across Southwest Arkansas through outreach, education, and survey research.
It focused on expanding the healthcare workforce in the region and was made possible through partnerships with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), the University of Arkansas (UA), Magnolia Regional Medical Center (MRMC), and numerous regional healthcare providers.
SAU students and faculty contributed to Community Health Survey Research, Healthcare Workforce Development, and Inspiring and Recruiting Future Healthcare Professionals.
In collaboration with Dr. Ben Amick from UAMS and Dr. Michael Nino from UA, SAU students participated in the Arkansas Health Survey, which has collected approximately 10,000 responses.
“The Arkansas Health Survey will fundamentally reshape how we understand and address health disparities across our state,” said Dr. Nino.
The survey results will be reported to the Arkansas Department of Health and made publicly available after data analysis.
SAU students were trained in data collection and analysis, gathering about 2,500 surveys focused on health needs in 17 counties across Southwest Arkansas. The grant also funded a new biostatistics lab in SAU’s Science Building, equipped with 20 state-of-the-art workstations.
SAU pre-health students completed internships at 25 regional clinical sites. Dr. Daniel McDermott, Associate Professor of Biology at SAU, coordinated the internships. “This grant allowed us to provide students with real-world clinical experience across the healthcare practices of our region,” said Dr. McDermott.
The initiative also launched a new nursing residency program at MRMC to address the region’s critical nursing shortage.
Dr. Karen Landry, chair of the department of nursing, said, “We are deeply grateful for this investment in Southern Arkansas.”
The program expanded its impact by introducing high school students to healthcare careers through outreach, including a Summer Health Professions Education Camp and healthcare-focused activity days. Dr. Antoinette Odendaal, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biology, organized the summer camp programming. “If this initiative leaves a lasting impact, it will be through the students it inspired to pursue healthcare careers,” said Dr. Odendaal.
Dr. Abdel Bachri, dean of the College of Science and Engineering, reflected, “Thanks to the support of the Arkansas Department of Health, this initiative has not only given our students powerful, real-world experiences in public health and clinical care, but it has also made a meaningful impact on the lives of people across our region.”
Dr. Abe Tucker, chair of the Department of Biology, emphasized the practical impact of the initiative. “This grant directly addressed healthcare needs in a region that is often underfunded and understudied,” he said.
The reception recognized the achievements of the student interns and honored all those who participated, including faculty leadership, healthcare partners, university leadership, and community stakeholders.