Eligibility Criteria

Rural Community Health Scholars is a two-year program offered to 75 of West Virginia’s top health professions students from institutions across the state; this program aims to provide supplemental and interprofessional educational experiences to those interested in practicing in rural or underserved communities. 

Health professions students in the following areas are eligible to apply:

• Community Health Worker
• Dentistry (DDS)
• Exercise Physiology (BS)
• Medicine (MD, DO)
• Nursing (BSN, NP, DNP, PhD)
• Nutrition/Dietetics (BS)
• Pharmacy (PharmD)
• Physical Therapy (DPT)
• Physician Assistant (MA/MS)
• Psychology (MA/MS, PhD, PsyD)
• Public Health (MPH, PhD)
• Resident
• Social Work (MSW)

Students interested in applying for this opportunity should:

• Hold an interest in providing health care for, or learning about health care in, rural and/or underserved communities.
• Be enrolled in a health professions degree or certificate program with at least two years remaining before degree or program completion.
• Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
• Be available to participate in online didactic learning, community-based experiential learning, and rural immersion experiences over the course of the two-year program (beyond your college or school's curricular requirements).
• Be willing to respond to inquiries on an annual basis upon program completion, as RCH Scholars staff will request updates about your practice location and professional activities.