Colorado Welcome Back
Welcome back to your healthcare profession!
Colorado Welcome Back by Spring Institute helps internationally trained healthcare professionals rebuild their careers in Colorado while connecting employers with multilingual, internationally trained talent across the state.
As a highly qualified immigrant professional, you may face barriers when re-entering your field in the United States, including hiring bias, limited professional networks, and complex credential recognition processes. You don’t have to navigate them alone!
For more than a decade, Colorado Welcome Back (CWB) has helped internationally trained healthcare professionals reconnect with their careers while strengthening Colorado’s healthcare workforce. By building bridges between talented immigrant professionals and employers, CWB supports a more diverse, culturally responsive, and linguistically inclusive healthcare system that benefits everyone.
Services include:
- 1-1 individualized career coaching
- Guidance in licensure and credential recognition
- Professional skill development and career readiness workshops
- Exam preparation
- Peer-to-peer support
- Networking opportunities
- Limited financial assistance
Career coaches provide personalized, human-centered support to help participants achieve their short- and long-term career goals. They offer expert guidance on navigating licensure requirements, gaining relevant U.S. experience, and exploring the best options for professional licensure or a fulfilling alternative career pathway.
Colorado Welcome Back works closely with service providers, training programs, employers, and program alumni to help internationally trained healthcare professionals navigate the U.S. healthcare system and build professional networks. This collaborative approach has helped hundreds of participants secure healthcare jobs, including residency placements for internationally trained physicians and admission to advanced standing programs for international dentists.
Specific Programs
Oral Health
International Dentists
Serves advanced internationally trained dental professionals as they navigate licensure to practice dentistry or alternative pathways in the oral health industry in Colorado. Includes monthly group coaching and workshops contextualized for ITP dental professionals. This is a cohort-based program starting in April each year.
Eligibility:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must currently live in Colorado
- Advanced level of English proficiency required (B1 Level)
- Individuals with an international dental degree
- Not open to non-immigrant visa holders
Entry to Oral Health
Serves newcomers looking to enter the oral health industry through career exposure, informational interviews, or training opportunities. Includes 1-1 career coaching, shadowing opportunities, connections to resources, and financial assistance. Services are provided in English and participants are expected to communicate in English.
Enrollment in Entry to Oral Health is open year-round. To learn more, email careerpathways@springinstitute.org or complete the contact form below.
Nursing
***Accepting Applications Through July 31st***
Serves internationally trained nursing professionals as they establish licensure in the state of Colorado, as well as assists with job placement, prioritizing rural regions. Includes monthly group coaching and workshops contextualized for ITP nurses. This is a cohort-based program starting in September each year.
Eligibility:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must currently live in Colorado
- High Intermediate to Advanced level of English proficiency required
- Must hold an international nursing degree or equivalent certification
- Not open to non-immigrant visa holders
Refugees
Serves ORR-eligible refugees who are internationally trained healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers. Career coaches provide personalized support to help participants achieve their professional goals through industry-aligned employment, professional skill development, and credential navigation. Interpretation services are available.
Eligibility:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must currently live in Colorado
- Must be ORR-eligible
- Must have education or work experience in healthcare
Enrollment in CWB for Refugees is open year-round. To learn more, email careerpathways@springinstitute.org or complete the contact form below.
Did you know?
- By 2030, Colorado could see a shortage of 3,000 physicians.
- Colorado has nearly 3,000 immigrants whose health-related degrees are being underutilized
- 1 rural physician in Colorado generates 26 jobs and $1.4 million for the clinic and hospital
- The United States faces a shortage of about 65,000 physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, and foreign physicians make up 25 percent of all doctors working in the United States
Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Welcome Back
It varies! The length of each program track depends on your background, goals, and individual circumstances. Many participants work with Colorado Welcome Back for anywhere from 9 months to several years.
CWB services are free! CWB is part of Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, a nonprofit organization that offers community-based programs at no cost.
We believe career coaching is a collaborative partnership that empowers individuals to make informed decisions, achieve lasting career success, and create lifelong transformation. Spring Institute career coaches are trained by state and national organizations and bring expertise in cultural responsiveness and trauma-informed practices. Many also have lived experience navigating a new culture, allowing them to provide compassionate, informed support.
Most career coaching meetings are virtual. If a participant requests in-person meetings, coaches are ready and available.
Unfortunately, it’s more complicated than that! These are highly regulated industries and there are specific pathways to obtain licensure. Our program provides guidance navigating that process or finding alternative options that still leverage past experience.
Yes, our career coaches assist in resume writing, job interview, and job search skills. We also encourage networking, informational interviews, and we support you with the skills needed in finding a job.
No, we do not teach specific exam preparation courses. We do provide exam study textbooks and connect individuals to additional resources and tutors to support studying.
No, we are not a healthcare provider and do not have opportunities for clinical experience. We can connect you with opportunities and provide guidance on reaching out to find clinical experiences.
Yes! Our Career Pathways programs provide limited financial assistance that can be used for specific purposes related to career development. We know the journey is costly and every little bit helps.
Contact Colorado Welcome Back
For more information on Colorado Welcome Back, email careerpathways@springinstitute.org or fill out the form below.
Colorado Welcome Back is a member of the national Welcome Back Initiative.
Colorado Welcome Back services are supported by the Colorado Health Foundation, the Delta Dental Colorado Foundation, and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.