A cooperative venture: preparing minorities for careers in clinical psychology, dental hygiene, and medical technology.
Due to underrepresentation of minorities in the allied health professions. Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, initiated the Allied Health Careers Opportunity Program (AHCOP) to increase enrollment and retention of minority students. Participating in the program are the clinical psychology, dental hygiene, and medical technology programs that combined resources to sponsor activities conducive to improving the numbers of minorities in allied health. Activities have included orientation programs, bimonthly seminars on relevant topics, tutorials, and counseling. In the three years since the program's inception, results have shown positive impacts on both the university, through increased enrollment and retention of minority students in the targeted allied health programs, and the community, through employment of allied health program minority graduates.