WEST PLAINS, MO – When the Ozarks Healthcare Foundation launched the Inside Track Career Pathways Program in 2023, its mission was simple but powerful: to connect students – both traditional and non-traditional – to the education, training, and opportunities they need to succeed in healthcare careers right here in south-central Missouri.
Thanks to Healthcare Workforce Development Consortium members who launched Inside Track, including the Howell County Commission, Ozarks Healthcare, the Southern Missouri Technical Institute, and Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP), Inside Track has become the go-to hub for healthcare career opportunities in the region. The program serves as a centralized resource for local healthcare jobs in demand and helps students and job seekers identify their ideal career paths while providing the guidance, resources, and financial support to achieve their goals.
At the heart of the program is Career Pathways Coordinator Sammi Radosevich, who does far more than connect people with jobs. Sammi actively visits schools, attends career fairs, and collaborates with educators, community leaders, and healthcare professionals to guide individuals through every stage of their journey, from exploring career options to completing education and stepping into the local healthcare workforce.
“The beauty of Inside Track is that no one walks this journey alone,” Radosevich said. “We’re helping students discover what’s possible, and giving them the resources to make it happen. It’s about building the future of healthcare, right here at home.”
Thanks to scholarships and tuition reimbursement programs funded by the very communities these future healthcare workers will serve, education and training are more accessible than ever. It’s a full-circle investment: neighbors helping neighbors, strengthening the local workforce, and improving healthcare access for generations to come.
Since its inception, Inside Track has connected with students from 17 local schools, including West Plains, Willow Springs, Mountain Grove, Ava, Summersville, Eminence, Thayer, Alton, Mammoth Spring, and more.
Radosevich has represented Inside Track at major regional events, including the Missouri State University – West Plains (MSU-WP) College Fair, West Plains High School College Fair, Mammoth Spring Career Fair, and Dora College and Career Fair.
She also serves on the Southern Missouri Technical Institute Tech Practical Nursing Advisory Board and the MSU-WP Community Behavioral Health Advisory Board, helping shape local education and workforce pipelines. Earlier this year, she hosted Show Me Career Day, bringing together 15 local counselors, career advisors, and members of the Missouri Chamber to focus on healthcare opportunities across the region.
In just over two years, Inside Track has made a measurable difference, including: 52 new hires at Ozarks Healthcare since January 2023, $63,500 in scholarships awarded to 31 local high school students since May 2023, $25,878 in tuition reimbursement awarded to Inside Track students, and $11,767 in tuition reimbursement to current employees for certifications and advanced training.
This year alone: 13 West Plains High School students completed 36 hours of job shadowing across Ozarks Healthcare departments through a summer school program, 150 students explored healthcare careers during M*A*S*H (Medical Academy of Science and Health) Camp this July, Howell Valley 7th–8th graders will participate in Mini M*A*S*H Camps this fall, spending one day each week on campus.
West Plains High School Project Lead the Way students are also meeting monthly with Ozarks Healthcare staff to gain real-world healthcare experience.
In total, 22 new employees have joined Ozarks Healthcare in 2025 through Inside Track.
“Inside Track is more than a program – it’s a promise,” Josh Reeves, Vice President of Development and Advocacy at Ozarks Healthcare, said. “A promise that the future of healthcare in our community will be strong, sustainable, and locally grown. Every scholarship awarded, every student mentored, and every new hire represents an investment in healthier communities and brighter futures.”
Because of Inside Track, students don’t have to leave home to find opportunity. They can live here, learn here, and build a career here – caring for the same community that believed in them.
For more information about Inside Track and career opportunities at Ozarks Healthcare, visit www.ozarkshealthcare.com/careers/.
