BEATRICE – Taking care to stick with his current job, despite being the preferred choice as the new President of the University of Nebraska, the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center said one of his best roles is handing out diplomas to medical school graduates.


"I will tell you the future health care workforce of our country and certainly of our state...has never been better, has never been more humane, more compassionate, more caring...heck of a lot smarter than I'll ever be...just remarkable young women and young men."


Dr. Jeffrey Gold was the guest speaker at the Beatrice Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, held Wednesday morning at the Holiday Inn Express Conference Center.
Gold said UNMC’s research component remains strong.


"Research science and discovery is critical in health care these days. A day doesn't go by that there's not a new treatment of a certain type of cancer, or for Alzheimer's or for Parkinson's...and heart disease. You should know that the University of Nebraska Medical Center is a leader in these areas....not a follower."


Gold said the university has increased its research impact from about $90 million to $250 million….one of the fastest growing research enterprises in the U.S.
Gold, who says all health care is local…says a prime goal to make UNMC the highest quality and the safest institution in the country.  "How would you want to be treated? Not just the right medications, the right diagnostics and the right procedures...but to be treated with autonomy, with respect...to be treated in a way that you'd really want somebody treated, who not only provides care....but provides caring."


Gold has become the top candidate to become the new President of the University of Nebraska…and although he kept away from that topic…Board of Regents Chairman Rob Schafer of Beatrice said Gold is the right person for the job.


"Jeff is uniquely qualified to serve as the next President of the University of Nebraska. He's been here since February 1st, ten years ago...when he first started with the university as Chancellor at the UNMC."


Gold will be participating next week in a beam raising ceremony in Kearney, for what will become the nation’s largest rural health education complex.
"There'll be 640 medical students, nursing students, pharmacy students, allied health students, social workers and others...who will serve the needs of rural Nebraska...which of course, is a tremendous need in terms of workforce. There's probably no one is this room that doesn't realize that we're being challenged here in Nebraska, but across the nation, in terms of health professions workforce. That's not just true in our rural and smaller communities...it's true in every urban city in the United States."


Just over 100 tickets were distributed for the Beatrice Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, which resumed this year after a break of several years….thanks to the efforts of Beatrice City Councilmen Gary Barnard, Ted Fairbanks and Terry Doyle. The event emceed by Beatrice Mayor Bob Morgan this year provided support for the new FFA Chapter at Beatrice High School.