Rural Health
News by Topic: Health occupations
Jun 16, 2026 - Discusses dental workforce shortages across Pennsylvania and highlights the impact on access when a provider retires. Describes initiatives at 2 Pennsylvania universities to train dental students in regional centers and clinics as a strategy to increase the rural dental workforce. Notes these initiatives are incorporated into the state's Rural Health Transformation Program plan.
Source: Spotlight PA
Jun 15, 2026 - Describes a new website highlighting the services offered by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences related to rural healthcare, education, and social safety net programs. Discusses how those programs increase access to healthcare, improve maternal and infant health, support the healthcare workforce, and make use of community health workers.
Source: UAMS News
Jun 15, 2026 - Describes the work of a university in rural Virginia to address healthcare access through mobile clinics and increasing the size of the nursing workforce.
Source: WDBJ
Jun 11, 2026 - The University of Montana's new physician associate program will begin this fall. The program aims to address workforce shortages across the state, particularly for rural areas.
Source: University of Montana News
Jun 8, 2026 - Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding has been granted to 39 emergency medical services (EMS) agencies in North Carolina to enhance the EMS workforce as well as improve access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment and services through mobile integrated health. Describes drug overdose disparities in rural communities.
Source: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Jun 3, 2026 - A new philanthropic donation to the University of Washington School of Medicine Medical Student Education Program will create new scholarships and student support programs to increase primary care physicians in rural and tribal Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.
Source: UW Medicine Newsroom
Jun 2, 2026 - A new program in Hawaii offers free medical school in exchange for practicing in a rural Hawaiian community for 5 years. Describes the physician shortages in Hawaii and profiles some of the students already participating in the program, which is funded through the state's Rural Health Transformation Program.
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat
May 25, 2026 - Discusses a loan forgiveness program for rural practicing Vermont physicians as a strategy to recruit and retain rural physicians.
Source: WCAX
May 21, 2026 - Auburn University's Harrison College of Pharmacy was awarded a $20,000 National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation scholarship. The award will support the school's Rural RxGuidance program, designed to inspire rural youth to consider pharmacy careers, while addressing workforce shortages in medically underserved areas.
Source: Auburn University
HRSA: Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
Federal Register
May 19, 2026 - The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is establishing a new system of records, Graduate Medical
Education (GME) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Resident Assessment Records. The system will contain records about medical and dental residents training in children's hospitals and teaching health centers, which are used to justify the number of residents counted in calculated GME payments to the hospitals and health centers and avoid duplicate reimbursements. This notice is effective May 19, 2026, except for routine uses described in detail in this notice. Comments on this notice and the routine uses are due by June 18, 2026.
Source: Federal Register