Rural Project Examples Addressing Health workforce

Club Scrub

Updated/reviewed December 2025

Need: Impact healthcare workforce shortages in rural Wisconsin.
Intervention: The Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, leveraging evidence-informed grow-your-own pipeline activities to generate interest in health-related professions, partnered with the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health to create the Club Scrub program for 7th and 8th graders.
Results: The original 2006-2007 program results revealed that participants gained a better understanding of career options in the healthcare industry and annual Club Scrub events continue to be sponsored by several Wisconsin rural healthcare delivery systems.

Updated/reviewed November 2025

Need: To bring preventive care and other services to rural Missouri patients with chronic illnesses and difficulties accessing primary care.
Intervention: Community paramedics make home visits and provide basic care, home assessments, and medication reconciliation and facilitate telehealth visits.
Results: Patients experienced improved access to care, health status, and compliance with medication regimens along with increased patient engagement, satisfaction, and access to community resources.

Updated/reviewed November 2025

Need: Primary care physicians in the rural areas of Wisconsin.
Intervention: A GME collaborative and technical assistance center that provides leadership, GME expertise, and support for expanding rural graduate medical education in Wisconsin.
Results: The collaborative expanded rural graduate medical education opportunities which now include over 30 rural-focused residency programs. There are several GME opportunities in specialties ranging from family medicine to surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, internal medicine and more.

Updated/reviewed October 2025

Need: To reduce injuries in agricultural communities and improve emergency responders' preparedness when called to farms and ranches.
Intervention: RF-DASH equips rural fire/EMS personnel and others with agricultural health and safety knowledge and tools to pre-plan for agricultural emergencies as well as assess and then mitigate agricultural hazards.
Results: Over 250 firefighters and EMTs have received training to become RF-DASH trainers.

Updated/reviewed September 2025

Need: To support rural veterans pursuing a career in nursing.
Intervention: The INVITE program improved the curriculum and reworked admission requirements to better support veteran students' experiences in the College of St. Scholastica undergraduate nursing program.
Results: The number of veterans pursuing nursing has more than doubled since program implementation, and all students have reported an increased interest in serving rural communities.

Added September 2025

Need: To provide high school students with hands-on health care experience while filling high-need roles in a rural hospital.
Intervention: An internship program for high school students at McPherson Center for Health in McPherson, Kansas.
Results: More than 30 students have participated in the program since 2023, seven of whom have become part-time or full-time employees at the hospital as a result.

Updated/reviewed September 2025

Need: To help veterans transition into civilian healthcare careers.
Intervention: MMAC and healthcare employers in urban and rural Virginia provide employment and education opportunities to veterans seeking civilian medical credentials.
Results: MMAC has been able to help 837 veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find healthcare employment.

Updated/reviewed September 2025

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 40 high school completers, 19 of whom are pursuing an undergraduate degree with an interest in studying medicine. Two students are currently in medical school, with plans to work in a rural area once finished.

Updated/reviewed July 2025

Need: To help older adults age in place.
Intervention: For four to five months, CAPABLE participants receive home visits from a registered nurse, occupational therapist, and home repair services.
Results: There are currently 38 CAPABLE sites across the country, 19 of which are located in rural communities.

Updated/reviewed July 2025

Need: Clinicians in rural and underserved areas are often unprepared to provide comprehensive medical-forensic examinations for patients who present for care following a sexual assault.
Intervention: The MDPH TeleSANE Center uses secure telehealth software to connect sexual assault nurse examiners to clinicians and patients in hospitals across Massachusetts — including five in rural counties — offering expert clinical guidance and support before, during, and after examinations.
Results: Clinicians report that the service gives them increased confidence throughout the examination process. To date, the MDPH TeleSANE Center has assisted in the care of over 1,234 patients.