Editorial #2

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is contemplating the notion of opening a health care high school in Omaha. In addition, metro area schools are considering becoming partners with the new school, which would be dedicated to future doctors, nurses and others interested in the medical field.

Some may worry about the effects of using tax dollars to create a specialized school, but the UNMC opening would not take away from public schools any more than creating a regular school would. It would also better educate a specific population, thus making the tax dollars we spend worthwhile, as they would return in the form of better medicine in the states' future.

Another objection lies in the risk of subjecting children to specified education. For example, many worry that training our children for a specific profession would leave them unable to obtain training for non-medical professions, should they change their choice of career path. However, the UNMC would focus on advanced sciences and , which would also be beneficial for a variety of career paths. If anything, the UNMC would allow students an advanced education and better understanding in the sciences and mathematics.

Opposers to this concept will also state that isolating the medical students will deprive them of the diversity of a school filled with students of various interests and activities. While this may have some truth, it is also entirely possible that a specialized school will enhance the student's academic performance. With a group of peers who share the same academic goals, students can form study groups and use cognitive thinking to aid with their acadmics and improve student's performance.

While this concept is still in its infancy, it would benefit our state if we got behind the concept and showed our support. With an emphasis on health care, these schools could better educate our youth in the health field, giving way to better medical care as a whole.


The medical-focused UNMC would provide means of producing quality future health care professionals. This school could offer math and science programs which would explore all aspects of a hospital, ranging from surgery and nursing to business and other health care services.


These schoools would give our youth the opportunity to experience the best possible health care training. It would also better prepare them for the next level of training in the medical field. Specialized schools could assure the highest education in their field. This would ensure the highest quality of health care in the state of Nebraska as well. With specialized schools, we can look for new advances in medicine as well. If we support this idea, we can look forward to a brighter medical future.




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