Learning Experiences

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Nuka Learning Program offers learning experiences in clinical and non-clinical opportunities for learners (students, residents, interns, externs, and more) to work and learn in medical services, behavioral health, Tribal and community-based services.

Contact Us

Nuka Learning Program

Email
SCFNukastudent@southcentralfoundation.com
(Preferred contact method)

Phone
907-729-6850
(Please include your email address if you reach our voicemail box)

Programs

Complementary Medicine Clinic

Services: Southcentral Foundation’s Complementary Medicine Clinic is a referral-based clinic providing chiropractic, acupuncture, and clinical massage therapy services to customer-owners in partnership with the primary care clinics, OB-GYN, and specialty pediatrics.
Learning Experiences: Full-time development center student internships, clinical rotations, and limited short-term observation opportunities.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Services: Southcentral Foundation Obstetrics and Gynecology department provides a full range of health services for both pregnant and non-pregnant people throughout the life continuum. Low-risk and high-risk obstetric care is provided as well as comprehensive gynecologic care. We also partner with the maternal fetal medicine clinic and the gynecologic oncology clinic for more specialized care needs.
Learning Experiences: Depending on the rotation, the experience may be a combination of clinic care and inpatient care including labor and delivery, gynecologic surgical services, and postoperative care. The experience may be a combination of weekdays, nights, and weekends. Medical students, medical residents, medical fellows, student nurse midwives, women’s health nurse practitioner students, certified medical assistant externs, and limited short-term observation opportunities.

Dietitian

Services: Registered dietitian nutritionist (RDNs) provide medical nutrition therapy for preventative care, acute needs, and chronic disease management. Nutritionists work within an interdisciplinary team to support the needs of customer-owners and their families and provide services within Southcentral Foundation Anchorage Native Primary Care Center, pediatrics specialty clinic, and the Benteh Nuutah Valley Native Primary Care Center. RDN specialty services include advanced diabetes educators for children and adults, in addition to specialty roles in pediatrics and OB/GYN. Students may expect to gain experience in medical nutrition therapy for diabetes, weight management, metabolic disorders, cardiac disease, oncology, failure to thrive, lactation, adult and pediatric tube feeding, and general nutrition education. Additional experiences may include menu reviews for SCF programs, group education, and nutrition education material development.
Learning Experiences: Dietetic students and limited short-term observation opportunities.

Inpatient Pediatrics

Services: The Inpatient Pediatrics department provides a broad range of inpatient pediatrics services at the Alaska Native Medical Center. Pediatric hospitalists cover admitted sick children, infants in a level II NICU, consults in the emergency department, consults with regional hospitals, attend high risk deliveries and pediatric traumas, and hold pediatric field clinics across the state. Because we are a tertiary care facility, we provide care to sick infants and children, including medically complex children from across the state of Alaska. Students participate in the daily care of admitted children, including attending multidisciplinary rounds and participating in the admission and discharge process. This is a high volume and busy rotation. Students will leave with a broad range of pediatric clinical knowledge as well as a better understanding.
Learning Experiences: Medical students, medical residents, medical fellows, physician assistant students, pediatric nurse practitioner students, and limited short-term observation opportunities. Rotations are scheduled in four-week blocks. A typical schedule is Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Rehabilitation Therapies and Exercise

Services: Southcentral Foundation’s Rehabilitation Therapies and Exercise department provides outpatient physical therapy (orthopedics, neurologic, pelvic health), occupational therapy, speech therapy, exercise, and customer-owner and employee wellness services. Medical/clinical professions that support the clinic include direct referrals from SCF primary care providers and specialty services.
Learning Experiences:
- Full-time doctor of physical therapy student clinical rotations (outpatient orthopedics, orthopedic/neurology, and orthopedic/pelvic – third year only).
- Full-time physical therapist assistant student outpatient clinical rotations (final two rotations only).
- Full-time Doctor of Occupational Therapy or Master of Occupational Therapy student clinical rotations (outpatient orthopedics– hand, neurotherapy, home health– Level 2B and capstone experiences only – starting 2026).
- Full-time Doctor of Occupational Therapy or Master of Occupational Therapy student clinical rotations (outpatient orthopedics- hands/neuro, home health –Level 1 a,b,c or d 40 hour rotation).
- Full-time Exercise Science/Exercise Physiology internships.
- Limited short-term observation opportunities (up to 40 hours for learners interested in applying to physical therapy/physical therapist assistant/occupational therapy/exercise physiology programs).

Primary Care

Services: Southcentral Foundation’s primary care clinics provide services for all ages in acute and chronic disease treatment and preventive care. Primary care offers same-day appointments for their customer-owners. They practice the Nuka integrated care team model and work with a large variety of integrated resources including: pharmacists, behavioral health consultants, midwives, registered dietitians, community resource consultants, physical therapists, psychiatrists, and pediatricians.
 There are multiple locations for opportunities in Primary Care:
- Anchorage Native Primary Care Center
- Benteh Nuutah Valley Native Primary Care Center
Learning Experiences: Medical students, medical residents, medical fellows, nurse practitioner students, physician assistant students, nursing students, register nurse case manager, medical assistant externs, dietetic students, and limited short-term observation opportunities.

Behavioral Health Care Services

Services: Southcentral Foundation provides a variety of behavioral health care services, ranging from outpatient to emergency behavioral health services. Services are available in Anchorage and Wasilla.
Learning Experiences: Depending on the rotation, there are a variety of experiences available, including outpatient behavioral health, consultation liaison and emergency psychiatry, outpatient consultation in primary care, outpatient intensive treatment, and outpatient day treatment for customer-owners with severe persistent mental illness. Learner rotations are available to psychiatry residents, family medicine residents, medical students, nurse practitioner students, physician assistant students, and limited short-term observation opportunities.

How to Apply Positions Background Checks Employee Health Requirements

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How to Apply

The open enrollment period is during February each year and is highly competitive. Any applications received outside of the February application period will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

A complete application includes:

- Learner Rotation Request form, including a letter of intent
- Current CV or resume
- Course objectives (if applicable)

Request more information

Positions

Physicians, Physician Assistants, Dieticians, Registered Nurses, Registered Nurse Case Management, Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, Medical Assistant, Dental Assistant, Child Life Specialist, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Exercise Specialists, Speech and Language Pathologists, Ultrasonographer, Radiologic Technicians, etc.

Background Checks

A criminal history/civil proceeding record check is a condition of an SCF learning experience. You are required to agree to a criminal history/civil proceeding record check, including agreeing to submit your fingerprints and all other necessary forms. Municipal, county, state, and national databases may be searched as part of your criminal history record check.

Employee Health Requirements

PPD skin test or QuantiFERON Tuberculosis blood test completed within the last 12 months (date of last test, needs to be within the last year)
Varicella 2 vaccines or titer results showing immunity
Hepatitis B Series (3 vaccines) or positive titer results
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (2 vaccines each or 2 MMR series) or proof of immunity
Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (within last 10 years)
Influenza seasonal vaccination (current season)
COVID-19 (documentation of completed vaccination, rotation cannot start within two weeks of final vaccination, no exceptions)

Universities and Programs

This is a list of SCF’s current affiliations. Reach out to the Nuka Learning Program if you would like to establish an affiliation agreement between SCF and your university or program (this process can take up to six months).

Alaska Career College

Alaska Family Medicine Residency

Alaska Pacific University

Baylor University

Bradley University

Brescia University

Burrell College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Capella University

Carson-Newman University

Central Michigan University

Charter College (Wasilla & Anchorage)

Chatham University

Chickaloon Village Traditional Council

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Creighton University

Drexel University

Dublin Methodist

Duke University

Eastern Kentucky University

Elon University

Frontier Nursing University

George Fox University

Gonzaga University

Harvard Medical School Clerkship

Harvard Dental Medicine

Hawaii Pacific University

Herzing University

Iowa State University Of Science And Technology

Job Corps Wasilla- Chugach

Johns Hopkins SOM

Keith And Associates Distance Dietetic Internship

Lake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medicine

LG Family And Community Medicine Residency Program

Lynchburg College

Maryville University

MatSu College

MEDEX

Medical College Of Wisconsin

Messiah University

Muskingham University

Naropa University

National University

Northeast Regional Medical Center Residency program

Northern Vermont University

Northwestern University

Oklahoma State University

Oregon Health and Science University

Pacific Northwest University

Pacific University School of Physical Therapy

Pacific University of School of SLP

Puget Sound University

Purdue Global University

Quinnipiac University

Regis College

Rocky Vista University

Rush University Medical Center

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Salish Kootenai College

Saybrook University

South College School Of Physical Therapy

St. Augustine’s (DOPT)

South College School Of Physical Therapy

Trine University

Tufts University School Of Medicine PA Program

Tufts University School of PT

United States University

Uniformed Service University Of Health Sciences

University Of Alaska Anchorage

University of Arizona

University of Bridgeport

University of California Berkely Fung Fellowship

University Of California Davis Health

University Of California San Francisco School Of Medicine

University of Chicago Medical Center

University of Coloardo- Colorado Springs

University of Colorado- Specialty Peds

University Of Connecticut

University of Delaware

University Of Iowa School Of Dentistry

University of Lynchburg

University Of Massachusetts- Amherst

University of Michigan

University Of Minnesota Medical School

University of Minnesota School of Nursing

University of Montana

University of Phoenix

University of Puget Sound School of PT

University of South Alabama

University of Tennessee Knoxville

University of Utah Division of Physician Assistant Studies

University Of Washington

University of Washington MEDEX

University Of Western States

Vanderbilt University

Wake Forest

Walden University

Walter Reed University

Washburn University

Western Governors University

Western New Mexico University

Western Michigan University

Wilkes University

Yale School of Nursing

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