University of Nebraska at Kearney Communications recently profiled UNK student Avery Lowther, who is in the Kearney Health Opportunities Program. As part of the partnership with UNMC, Lowther will have guaranteed admission to UNMC after receiving her undergraduate degree. Learn more about KHOP and the Rural Health Opportunities Program at this link.
Avery Lowther’s path to medicine began long before she arrived at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
It took shape in Ogallala, where personal experiences with health care showed her the impact physicians can have in rural communities.
Now a freshman pre-medical student at UNK, her interest in the profession first started developing when she entered high school and quickly became something deeper.
“I think of it as a calling,” said Lowther, who’s studying chemistry with a health care management minor. “I simply can’t see myself doing anything else.”
That sense of purpose was reinforced toward the end of high school, when both her mother and grandfather were diagnosed with cancer. Their experiences highlighted the significance of access to compassionate, high-quality care close to home.
“Being from a rural area, the way those doctors treated my family impacted not only them but also me,” Lowther said. “That made me realize how important rural physicians really are in early discovery, treatment and even prevention of illness.”
Her passion for health care ultimately led Lowther to UNK, where she’s part of the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP), a partnership with UNMC that recruits and trains students from rural Nebraska who are committed to serving these communities as professionals. The pathway program provides financial assistance, academic support and professional development opportunities, with many participants receiving full-tuition scholarships to attend UNK and guaranteed admission to UNMC upon meeting all the standards identified in each program of study.
“UNK was an obvious choice for me,” Lowther said, citing smaller class sizes, affordability and close relationships with faculty and peers as key reasons for her decision.
“Being able to network with your professors and classmates is arguably one of the most important skills you gain in college. I think UNK allows me to flourish in this way by facilitating classrooms where it’s easy to talk to others.”
The university’s strong health science partnerships – with both UNMC and rural hospitals across the state – were another important factor. Through KHOP and Health Science Club, Lowther has already taken part in UNMC and hospital visits, along with multiple volunteer and job shadowing opportunities. She also participates in undergraduate research with chemistry professor Kristy Kounovsky-Shafer.
“The amount of opportunities and support health care students get from studying at UNK is unique compared to other schools,” Lowther said. “You have an entire team of people who are supporting you and providing you with ways to improve your resume.”
Her exposure to health care extends beyond campus, as well.
Lowther has worked as a certified nursing assistant in Ogallala since her junior year of high school. In Kearney, she’s completing an Honors Program internship at Sandhills Oral and Facial Surgery, where she shadows an oral surgeon and collaborates with nurses to create standard operating procedure manuals. She’s also job shadowed at CHI Health Good Samaritan Cancer Center.
While she remains open to exploring different areas of medicine, oncology continues to stand out.
“I want to become an oncologist in a rural area, but that’s not set in stone,” Lowther explained. “It’s still so early in my medical journey. I think the beauty of medicine is that you can do so many things with the degree.”
As Lowther continues to chart her future in medicine, new opportunities on UNK’s campus are helping expand what that path could look like. The recently opened Health Science Education Center II allows UNMC to offer its medical, pharmacy and public health programs in Kearney for the first time. Designed as a hub for collaborative learning, the three-story, 110,000-square-foot facility features advanced simulation and clinical skills laboratories, technology-rich classrooms, study and lounge spaces and shared resources that support students preparing for a variety of health care careers.
“I am extremely excited for the new UNMC building in Kearney,” Lowther said. “I think it is a wonderful opportunity to gain a rural-based medical degree. While I am still unsure of where I want to go for medical school, I think it’s extremely important to have the opportunity to attend UNMC in Kearney, so Nebraska can see how much rural medicine is advancing.”
For Lowther, practicing in rural Nebraska isn’t just a possibility – it’s a responsibility.
“Nebraska is my home,” she said. “It has given me safety, opportunities and so much more. The least I can do is give back by dedicating my life to being a physician in underserved areas.”
Ultimately, the impact she hopes to make goes beyond diagnoses and treatment plans.
“I know that someday there will be a little girl facing the reality of a loved one being diagnosed with cancer. I hope that I can change her feelings about cancer from sadness to strength by being the best provider I can be and advocating for the person she loves.”