Updated December 2008

Students who are interested in practicing in a rural area will benefit by applying to a rural health program. The medical curriculum is geared towards educating students in community medicine and the schools are located in rural areas. Students interested in family practice and pediatrics could benefit. In addition, these programs may help students get acceptance into medical school when otherwise it may be difficult. The reason: rural health programs expect students to practice in rural areas after residency and many students do not want to be restricted so early in their career.

University of Alabama (UA) and University of Alabama School of Medicine (UA)Program Title: Rural Medical Scholars. 10 students selected every year. Applicants have lived in rural Alabama for eight years of their life and registered to take rural/community based courses. Contact phone number: 205-348-1302 (December 2009)

University of Illinois (UI) Program Title: Rural Medical Education Program. Preference given to applicants from rural areas in Illinois. Students must complete the AMCAS application and RMED supplemental application. Entrants requred to complete the RMED program,  select a primary care residency program and practice in rural Illinois. Contact: Rural Medical Education Program, 815-395-5780 (December 2009)

Michigan State University (MSU) Program Title: College of Human Medicine Rural Physician Program. 10 students selected every year.  Preference given to applicants from rural areas in Michigan. (December 2009)

Indiana State University (ISU) and Indiana University (IU)  BA/MD program. Program Title: Rural Health Program. Provisional acceptance into medical school. Students must have a minimum 1200 SAT score or 27 ACT score. Minimum high school G.P.A. of 3.5  Applicants must have lived a majority of their life in a rural area. While at ISU, students must have a minimum G.P.A of 3.5 and mean MCAT score of entering class into Indiana University. Contact: 812-237-2781 (December 2009)

University of Massachusetts (UM) Program Title: Rural Health Scholars Program. Contact: Joseph Stenger, 508-882-5572 (December 2009)

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