Students Get Glimpse into Rural Health

Students Get Glimpse into Rural Health

The 2017 Rural Minority Health Scholars

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Two select groups from across the state are experiencing life as college students this summer through the Rural Health Scholars and Rural Minority Health Scholars programs.

These two, five-week programs, offered through The University of Alabama’s College of Community Health Sciences, introduce students from rural areas to college life and give them an orientation to the need for health and medical professionals in communities like their own.

Statistics show rural students are more likely to live and practice in rural areas. The concept of the Rural Health Leaders Pipeline was developed as part of a strategy to recruit rural students into medical school.

The Rural Health Scholars, who are rising high school seniors, live on campus, take college courses in English and chemistry, learn about health careers,  participate in seminars with practicing health care professionals and make field trips to rural health care facilities and a medical school.

Students receive college credit, tuition, housing and a meal ticket. Since the Rural Health Scholars program was founded in 1993, nearly 650 students from rural areas within every Alabama county have participated.

The Rural Minority Health Scholars, who are recent high school graduates who will be attending college, live on campus, take a general chemistry course, attend tutorials, seminars, field trips to rural medical facilities and shadow African-American physicians from their hometowns.

This program was initiated to increase the number of minority students from rural Alabama who qualify for admission to medical school through the Rural Medical Scholars Program. Since the program began in 2001 approximately 10 students per year – more than 175 in all – have attended the program.

These programs are part of the UA Rural Health Leaders Pipeline founded by Dr. John Wheat, professor of community & rural medicine in the College of Community Health Sciences.

The Pipeline’s mission, said Wheat, is to encourage, attract and nurture students of rural Alabama into and through programs to “grow our own” rural health professionals who are leaders in developing healthy communities.

Rural Health Scholars:

Name
Mason Alexander Aldridge
Jessica Leanne Aplin
Annelise Grace Baker
JaKailyn Barnes
Keltanishaline Bates
Will David Bobbs
Shelby Gillis Juanita Boswell
Morgan Ashley Campbell
Makayla Ryann Coleman
Kayla Michelle Creighton
Rachael Ngozi Dike
Rebekah Chidinma Dike
Emmanuel James King
DaVonyae Lashae Miller
Lauren Katherine Moore
Jagger Dylan Morgan
Ivy Gabrielle Murphy
Ora Jocelyn Nelson
Emma Abigail Phillips
Joshua Kyle Raney
Lauren Destiny Shepherd
Taylor Elaine Skipper
Kaitlin Elida Truslow
Jakeira Shardell Washington
Shiann Nicole Weaver

High School
Fayette County High
Straughn High
Autauga Academy
Hillcrest High
Francis Marion School
Jefferson County International Baccalaureate
Pell City High
East Memorial Christian Academy
Excel High
Geneva County High
Hazel Green
Hazel Green
Clarke County High
Marengo High
Millry High
Hubbertville High
Wicksburg High
T.R. Miller High
Sipsey Valley High
Cullman High
Citronelle High
Wicksburg High
Loveless Academic Magnet Program
Sweet Water High
Arab High

County
Fayette
Covington
Autauga
Conecuh
Perry
Jefferson
St. Clair
Autauga
Monroe
Geneva
Madison
Madison
Clarke
Marengo
Choctaw
Fayette
Houston
Escambia
Tuscaloosa
Cullman
Mobile
Houston
Montgomery
Marengo
Marshall

Rural Minority Health Scholars: 

Name
Tomysha Danielle Boykin
Logan Aricie Broxton
Christopher Everett Daffin Jr.
Keyonna Dixon
Imberly Iesha Flowers
De’Larrian DeAnte’ Knight
Ciara Dawn Locke
Scott Nguyen
Jessica Brianna Richardson
Hillary Denise Strong
Garian Lucene Ware

High School
Linden High
Abbeville High
Jackson High
Greene County High
Benjamin Russell High
Monroe County High
Monroe County High
Ariton High
Jackson High
Austin High
Elba High

County
Marengo
Henry
Clarke
Greene
Tallapoosa
Monroe
Monroe
Dale
Clarke
Morgan
Coffee

Rural Health Scholars

Rural Minority Health Scholars

Contact

Kim Eaton, UA media relations, 205-348-8325, kkeaton@ur.ua.edu