The Tennessee Center for Health Workforce Development (TCWD) presented the Health Sciences Achievement Award to 56 students pursuing a health science degree or certification, with each student receiving $2,000.
The TCWD Health Sciences Achievement Award encourages Tennessee high school seniors to pursue a healthcare career after graduation. Award recipients are eligible for an additional $2,000 after completing their first year of college. TCWD has presented the award to 188 students since its establishment in 2013.
“TCWD is proud to recognize the 2026 recipients of the Health Sciences Achievement Award,” said Sarah Kane, TCWD Community Engagement Manager. “We celebrate their hard work and commitment to pursuing careers in healthcare, and we look forward to following their journey as they continue to grow and make an impact in their communities.” Award recipients are pursuing careers in nursing, medicine, radiology, pharmacy, therapeutic services, and other health science fields. Several students have either already received their certified nursing assistant licenses or are actively pursuing EKG technician or clinical medical assistant certifications.
The awards support early interest in healthcare careers at a time when THA-commissioned studies project Tennessee could face a shortfall of 8,500 registered nurses and a physician shortage of 3,860 by 2035. The range of healthcare certification courses offered to high school students reflects the importance of intentional partnerships between high schools, healthcare entities, and postsecondary academic institutions. These partnerships remain essential to addressing the state’s workforce shortages.
The 2027 award application period opens in January 2027. Learn more at https://tncwd.com/pipeline/healthsciencesaward.
View a list of the recipients here.