Providing health care in corrections is challenging. Attracting clinicians can be equally challenging. The future holds a shortage of nurses and primary care physicians. We have a unique opportunity, now, to develop and stabilize our workforce, create a positive image, and enhance quality before the health care landscape changes even more dramatically. Focus groups were conducted with 22 correctional health care professionals divided into three groups: physicians (6), nurses (4), and nurse practitioners/physician assistants (12). Content focused on curricular themes, but additional themes emerged related to recruitment and retention. This article describes recruitment challenges, strategic themes identified, and the proposed initiatives to support a stable, high-quality correctional health workforce.

BACKGROUND: Little has been published describing curricular experiences in correctional health (CH). PURPOSES: Our goal is to articulate a curriculum cognizant of the special needs of the correctional health care worker. METHODS: We conducted focus groups with nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians focused on content crucial to prepare competent medical professionals committed to careers in correctional health. RESULTS: Six main themes emerged from the data, which were used to confirm and add to the growing curriculum on correctional health used in our university's correctional health electives. The themes are (a) characteristics of the population being served; (b) prevalent conditions requiring clinical expertise; (c) public health opportunities in correctional facilities; (d) ethical considerations; (e) medical-legal issues; and (d) the CH system, structure, and administration. CONCLUSIONS: The successful provision of health care in correctional settings requires specialized knowledge, skills, and awareness not typically available in other health care training settings.