Home / Education / UAA & ANTHC Forge Healthcare Workforce Pipeline
UAA & ANTHC Forge Healthcare Workforce Pipeline
17 Aug
Summary
- Partnership expands clinical rotations for UAA healthcare students.
- Aims to build a sustainable local workforce for culturally relevant care.
- Future expansion includes other University of Alaska campuses.
A significant partnership has been established between the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), creating expanded training opportunities for students.
Effective as of August 16, 2026, this agreement enables UAA healthcare students to fulfill their clinical rotation requirements at local ANTHC facilities. This initiative aims to foster a sustainable local workforce capable of delivering compassionate and culturally relevant care.
Dr. Jay Butler, dean of UAA's College of Health, highlighted that this collaboration will retain students within Alaska for their clinical experiences. Future plans involve extending similar training opportunities to students at other University of Alaska campuses and in non-healthcare disciplines, such as marketing and engineering.
The Alaska Native Medical Center is set to complete a $462 million tower addition by late 2028, which will house the state's largest emergency department and become Anchorage's largest employer. This expansion is expected to create a demand for 400 additional workers, with ANTHC anticipating that the partnership will help meet the state's ongoing need for approximately 9,400 new healthcare workers annually.
