Education Program

Maggie McLain McDonnell

ORPRN’s Education Program, established in 2017, seeks to help create a healthier Oregon by training healthcare professionals in current best-practice treatments and techniques so they can better support their patients with complex conditions. 

Directed by Maggie McLain McDonnell, M.P.H., the Education Program encompasses the Oregon ECHO Network (OEN), a statewide utility for the delivery of Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) programs. ECHO is an innovative, case-based, peer-to-peer learning model that was developed at the University of New Mexico and is now practiced across the globe. 

The Education Program has also partnered with the OHSU/PSU School of Public Health for workforce development initiatives like the 30-30-30 project, which aimed to address our state’s healthcare workforce needs by increasing the number of graduates from programs by 30% and increasing all OHSU learner diversity by 30% by the year 2030. 

We also partner with organizations like the OHSU School of Community Dentistry, Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) and the OHSU/PSU School of Public Health to help train health professionals to better precept learners. 

  • The Oregon ECHO Network supports a wide range of topics including: 
  • Substance Use Disorders 
  • Adult and Child Psychiatry 
  • Chronic Pain 
  • Women’s Health Topics (Reproductive Health, Menopause) 
  • Gender Affirming Care
  • Geriatric Care Topics 
  • Integrating Community Health Workers and Peer Mentors into Clinical Settings 

A focus on health equity has been a key driver for OEN's philosophy and programming. Much work remains in addressing the health inequities among rural, aging, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other historically marginalized populations across Oregon. OEN is dedicated to embedding, maintaining, and regularly reviewing practices across all our programs designed to decrease these inequities. 

More than 4,000 unique participants have attended at least one session of an OEN program since 2018. Our programs have drawn participants from all counties in Oregon as well as 39 other states and Canada. OEN has offered more than 40 different unique programs to our learners.  Here are a few things our learners have said about OEN programs: 

“Both the didactic and the case presentation were beautifully presented. I really appreciate how compassionate all the speakers and presenters obviously are. These are difficult patients, but I've always felt they deserve the best of me that I can muster.” 

“As clinicians, we ultimately want to help our patients. The addiction medicine ECHOs always remind me why I am in healthcare.” 

"I would describe [ECHO] as a community of experts who have supported me through some of the hardest challenges in my medical career. The real value of that is the community aspect...It's not just the information I need but the support from people who understand the work." 

To learn about what programs are available right now and sign up, go to www.oregonechonetwork.org 

Here is a sampling of publications that have grown out of Oregon ECHO Network programming: