A TENNESSEE COLLEGE of Applied Technology (TCAT) nursing student shadows a Lincoln Medical Center nurse, staying full shifts to assist where needed and observe every aspect of the job. One Lincoln Health employee, already on the job, works hand in hand with a medical billing and coding specialist, learning those skills through direct experience. These are just a few examples of how Lincoln Health’s apprenticeship program is investing in future generations of health care providers.
Lincoln Health is advancing rural health care through an innovative apprenticeship program for medical students and employees planning to work in rural areas. This unique opportunity was made possible through a grant awarded by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Rural Workforce Development, with collaborative support from the Tennessee Hospital Association. The grant funding period began in July 2025 and runs through the end of June 2026, but the program has been so successful that Lincoln Health has already reapplied in hopes of keeping the grant for another year.
“We’re very hopeful that we will be awarded the grant again,” said Emily Schultz, staff development coordinator at Lincoln Health. “We appreciate their support in this.”
The program has several nursing students from TCAT, and Motlow State Community College will also have students participating beginning this summer. In addition to nursing, it extends across multiple health care specialties throughout the Lincoln Health system. This includes Patrick Rehab and Wellness Center, Lincoln Medical, and various physician clinics.
“We have some therapists who are receiving training. We have medical billing and coding apprentices who have received certifications. So we’re already encompassing more than just the nursing avenue,” Schultz said.
What makes the program especially appealing to these students is that they are earning a paycheck while fulfilling their school requirements. Lincoln Health works around each student’s class schedule to ensure no classroom time is sacrificed during their training.
“They’re completing requirements for their school while also earning a salary here,” Schultz said.
This is also true for current employees who benefit from the program, because they earn new certifications while on the clock. This initiative is designed to boost confidence, open doors for future advancement, and keep skilled health care workers in Lincoln County’s network.
“I definitely anticipate this playing a huge part in retention for our employees,” Schultz said. “We hope that it draws in more nursing applicants as students realize that we have this apprenticeship.”
The program allows employees to continue growing, and it ensures that students just graduating and entering the workforce stay with Lincoln Health, feeling fully prepared to start their careers.
“They’re more confident when they graduate nursing school, and hopefully they want to continue to work here with us beyond graduation,” Schultz said. GN
This story is Sponsored Content.
