University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Regional West Health Services Sign Affiliation Agreement

University of Nebraska Medical Center Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, and Regional West Health Services CEO Mel McNea signed a master affiliation agreement March 19 at the hospital.

The agreement will enable UNMC health professions students to do critically important clinical rotations at Regional West. It is an outgrowth of a longstanding partnership between UNMC and Regional West. Current UNMC students doing rotations at Regional West include allied health professions, medical, nursing and pharmacy. Under the new agreement, additional students will be able to rotate through Regional West and the Scottsbluff community. 

“With this new affiliation agreement, we are thrilled to continue and expand our relationship with UNMC for our clinical students. This agreement enables even more UNMC students to do clinical rotations at Regional West. It is important for students to experience and deliver health care in the western end of the state,” McNea said. 

Dr. Gold said he was excited about the new agreement. 

“There’s a lot of work to do to build Nebraska’s health care workforce,” he said. “That’s why we’re here today, to roll up our sleeves and do the work. There are many students in Nebraska right now who want to have access to health professions educational opportunities in the communities where they grew up. This agreement will help us make that possible for more students in Scottsbluff and the surrounding areas.” 

In addition to meeting with leaders at Regional West Health Services, Dr. Gold and UNMC leaders – including deans Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, DNP, of the UNMC College of Nursing and Gerard Kugel, DMD, PhD, of the UNMC College of Dentistry – met with other community leaders, as well as UNMC alumni, in the Scottsbluff and Gering area.