Rural Scholars
Our Mission
To provide rural programming and rural clinical learning environment, through academic/community partnerships, to recruit and prepare MU medical students for future rural practice to address health care access and rural health disparities.
Program Highlights:
- Bryant Scholars Pre-admissions Program
- Rural Scholars Program
- Rural Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LINC)
- Rural Immersion & Clinical Rural Immersion
For additional information, click on the link below.
Our History
The Rural Scholars Program was established in 1995 to address the critical physician shortage in rural Missouri by pre-admitting rural-background students to the school of medicine, providing them experiences that immerse them in rural healthcare practice, and preparing them to work and serve in areas of need. For 25 years, our rural program has produced rural physicians for the state. 20 rural undergrad students are pre-admitted to the MU SOM. We spend 2 years preparing them for med school by exposing them to our curriculum, the faculty and the physical space. The Rural Scholars Program admits first year medical students who were not pre-admitted prior to med school.
The program offers clinical training longitudinally through medical school with partnering hospitals and community based faculty. Multiple experiences over time prepare physicians for rural practice.