The Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) is a cooperative agreement between Chadron State College and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The purpose of the program is to recruit and educate high school students from rural Nebraska who will return to practice in rural areas of the state. This program represents a commitment and dedication to the education of Nebraskans and quality healthcare for citizens of the state. RHOP also encourages non-traditional students who have graduated from an accredited Nebraska senior high school (or received an equivalent of a high school diploma in Nebraska), was a legal resident of the state at the time of graduation and from a rural area of Nebraska to apply. Current students, for more information on the programs that consider non-traditional applications, please contact your faculty advisor.
This program offers the following options
| Program | CSC/UNMC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Lab Science | 3 yrs/1 yr | UNMC - Omaha or Kearney |
| Dental Hygiene | 2 yrs/2 yrs | UNMC - Gering |
| Dentistry | 4 yrs/4 yrs | UNMC - Lincoln |
| Medicine | 4 yrs/4 yrs | UNMC - Omaha |
| Nursing | 2 yrs/2 yrs | UNMC - Scottsbluff |
| Occupational Therapy | 4 yrs/3 yrs | UNMC - Omaha or Kearney |
| Pharmacy | 3 yrs/4 yrs | UNMC - Omaha |
| Physical Therapy | 4 yrs/3 yrs | UNMC - Omaha or Kearney |
| Physician Assistant | 4 yrs/28 mos | UNMC - Omaha or Kearney |
| Radiography | 2 yrs/2 yrs | UNMC - Omaha or Kearney |
Eligibility
- Be a rural Nebraska resident (students from the following cities and towns are not considered rural and therefore not eligible to apply to RHOP: Omaha, Ralston, Boys Town, Elkhorn, Lincoln, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Chalco, and Offutt Air Force Base).
- Be committed to practice in a rural Nebraska area.
- Demonstrate strong academic potential (ACT score expectations vary by program but scores must be at least a 19 or above in all four areas to receive consideration).
- Apply for only one professional field.
Benefits
- All RHOP participants receive a RHOP Tuition Waiver for the years they attend CSC.
- All participants receive provisional early acceptance into UNMC.
- Early registration privileges
- Opportunities to visit UNMC while attending CSC
- Qualified Participants receive up to $6144 in renewable scholarships
- Qualified Alternates who have completed the Freshman Scholarship Application will be eligible to receive other renewable scholarships equivalent to the RHOP Tuition Waiver
Selection Guidelines
RHOP is looking for well-rounded students who are dedicated to the health professions and have demonstrated commitment to the rural areas of Nebraska., We also seek students who are willing to work hard and have demonstrated they have the intellectual ability to complete the rigorous academic programs in health professions at CSC and UNMC.
Numerous factors are always a part of the selection process, however, special emphasis is placed on:
- The academic potential of the student.
- A commitment to return to the rural areas of Nebraska to practice their profession.
- Academic preparation.
RHOP
The Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) is a cooperative program between Chadron State College (CSC) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). The purpose of the program is to recruit and educate traditional and non-traditional students from rural Nebraska who will return to practice in the rural areas of the state. This program represents a commitment and dedication to the education of Nebraskans and to provide quality health care to the citizens of the state. RHOP currently has options in medicine, dentistry, dental hygiene, pharmacy, medical laboratory science, physical therapy, nursing, physician assistant, and radiography. Admission into each option of the program is competitive. Each participant accepted into the program receives automatic admission into the designated professional program upon successful completion of the appropriate curriculum at CSC. For information, application forms, admissions criteria, criteria for evaluation of progress in the program, and programs of study please contact the Health Professions Office at CSC.
Apply NowDeadlines & Applications
The application deadline for all RHOP programs is DECEMBER 1.
The application packet is a multi-step process which must be completed, without exception, by the deadline for consideration into the program. The following must be submitted in order for the application to be considered complete:
- Apply to and been accepted by Chadron State College
- Not sure which degree to apply for? Learn more about Pre-Health degree options
- Complete and submit the RHOP application, including personal essay via the online application
- An unofficial copy of the High School Transcript
- An unofficial copy of college transcripts from dual-enrollment courses (if applicable)
- A copy of the ACT and/or SAT scores printed from their respective websites
- Three letters of recommendation (to be either emailed by the recommender to hpoffice@zo23.com OR mailed to CSC Health Professions, 1000 Main Street, Chadron NE 69337)