Rural Project Examples Addressing Health workforce education and training

Old Dominion University's Student-Run Mobile Health Clinic

Added November 2023

Need: To fill gaps in care for rural communities in southeastern Virginia while providing clinical placement opportunities for nursing students.
Intervention: A free mobile health clinic staffed by Old Dominion University nursing students that visits rural schools and other community centers.
Results: Hundreds of students have gained hands-on rural experience working in the clinic since its launch.

Updated/reviewed September 2023

Need: Distance, time, and cost make it difficult for EMS volunteers to attend continuing education and maintain certification.
Intervention: Providence Health Training delivers free online training to rural EMS providers via video teleconferencing.
Results: The EMS Live@Nite program provides free, monthly training to rural EMS providers in the northwestern part of the United States. The program is available through live video conferencing from certified locations in rural communities.

Updated/reviewed September 2023

Need: Increase number of medical providers in rural Missouri.
Intervention: Grant-supported expansion of the Rural Track Training sites with additional medical student and resident rural curriculum offerings.
Results: Since the 2016-2017 academic year, 50 medical students have rotated at the training sites supported by this grant and more than 350 medical students and residents have attended the focused lecture series.

Updated/reviewed July 2023

Need: An ongoing shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas of South Dakota
Intervention: A 4-week summer program placing health professions students in rural communities.
Results: Of graduating participants, 71% practice in South Dakota with 30% of those graduates practicing in rural communities with populations fewer than 10,000, or veteran facilities.

Added June 2023

Need: To improve maternal and birth outcomes in rural and underserved areas by increasing the number of family medicine physicians in these areas who have high-quality, evidence-based obstetrical care skills.
Intervention: The STRETCH-OB program trains a select number of family medicine residents at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford each year to provide high-quality maternity care, including surgical obstetrical care.
Results: The first two STRETCH-OB residents graduated in June 2023.

Updated/reviewed April 2023

Need: An increased interest among young people to pursue a medical career in rural North Carolina
Intervention: Two medical students started a program that gives high school seniors medical academic training, mentor relationships, and hands-on experience in rural North Carolina facilities.
Results: Project PROMISE has graduated 36 high school students, 16 of whom are pursuing an undergraduate degree with an interest in studying medicine. Two students were recently accepted into medical school.

Updated/reviewed March 2023

Need: Falling is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in adults over the age of 65.
Intervention: The Right Side Up program was implemented in rural Otter Tail County to address the prevention and management of falls and risk for falls through in-home assessments given by interdisciplinary healthcare professionals and students.
Results: Short-term outcomes revealed 100% of participants found the visit and recommendations for falls prevention to be helpful, and 78% implemented these recommendations.

Updated/reviewed February 2023

Need: To provide increased educational opportunities for emergency care personnel in rural and frontier South Dakota.
Intervention: A technologically advanced training was created to enhance the delivery of emergency patient care.
Results: Hundreds of emergency medical services (EMS) staff and volunteers received training that in turn helped them in the field of emergency patient care.

Updated/reviewed January 2023

Need: A way to recognize Mississippi healthcare professionals and medical students for their rural-specific experience and expertise.
Intervention: The Mississippi Rural Health Association created a certification that recognizes rural health experience and also fosters a greater understanding of rural-specific policies, regulations, and needs in the healthcare field.
Results: Fellowship recipients receive statewide recognition for the time and dedication they have put into improving rural health in Mississippi.

Updated/reviewed November 2022

Need: New Mexico's southwestern counties of Hidalgo, Catron, Luna, and Grant have experienced chronic shortages of primary care providers. New Mexico has the oldest physician population in the country.
Intervention: A comprehensive workforce pipeline program, including programming for middle and high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, primary care program students, and medical and dental residents.
Results: The program reaches over 1,000 school-aged students throughout the service areas and provides support for students and medical residents in a variety of healthcare-related programs for rural rotation experiences. FORWARD NM received its designation as an Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in 2012.