The College of Eastern Idaho is one of several institutions of higher learning in the state that offers healthcare degrees and certifications that prepare students for in-demand careers in a sector that desperately needs workers.

Idaho is a healthcare desert, meaning there aren’t enough primary care doctors, specialists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to serve our growing state. One way to address this shortage is through higher education.

Idaho is a vast state and many students must endure long commutes to attend classes, especially those living in rural areas. The College of Eastern Idaho (CEI) heard from current and prospective students that the commute was a barrier, especially for students juggling family and work obligations.

CEI offers 10 programs in health sciences, and it wanted to make more of these courses available virtually so students in outlying areas could learn without having to travel to the campus. It launched an initiative to create more hybrid classrooms to meet student needs.

The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health provided a grant to CEI to transform a regular classroom into hybrid learning space that accommodates in-person and remote students.

Rebecca Killion, the senior coordinator for CEI’s Health Sciences Division, said she can see the impact of the new classrooms. The school has four updated classrooms and is looking to add two more once funding is obtained.

“The completed rooms are already contributing meaningful instructional benefits,” Killion said. “Students are able to participate remotely during illness or short‑term absences, allowing them to remain engaged without falling behind. Faculty are using lecture capture to support content review, which has been especially valuable for students managing work, family, and clinical obligations.”

Ashley Anderson, the co-administrator of the school’s nursing program, said the updated classrooms allow students who attend virtually to receive the same level of instruction as the students who are on campus.

“The hybrid classroom technology allows us to support students without compromising the hands-on nature of healthcare education,” she said. “When students are ill or unable to attend in person, they can still participate in class and stay connected. We also use the technology to record lectures for review and to bring in guest speakers from across the state, which enriches learning and helps students stay on track.”

The hybrid classrooms allow students doing clinical rotations in rural Idaho to stay connected with the college and coursework.

“The College of Eastern Idaho commonly hears from our rural hospitals that they are short-staffed due to difficulties recruiting,” said Dr. Matthew Taylor, the dean of the Health Sciences program. “CEI is dedicated to helping solve the rural healthcare shortage by facilitating clinical rotations where students gain exposure and may find that they are drawn to the unique challenges and opportunities present in critical access hospitals. With Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation’s generous gift, CEI now has the technology in place to keep students active with their on-campus classes while they learn real world skills in remote hospitals.”