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Contact Information:
Dana C. Blackwelder
Business Manager
Medical College of Georgia
Room AA2028
Augusta, Georgia 30912-0100
Phone: 706-721-2621
Fax: 706-721-7312
e-mail:
dblackwe@mcg.edu
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 Rural
health grant exposes students to new career opportunities
Jennifer Hilliard
June 23, 2006
Students who train in rural health settings before they graduate are more
likely to work in rural communities, say Medical College of Georgia educators.
Seventy-six percent of MCG allied health students who performed clinical
rotations at rural Georgia sites from 2001-03 said they would accept a job there
if offered, according to findings published in the June 23 issue of the Journal
of Rural Health. Rotations were funded by a Quentin E. Burdick grant from the
U.S. Human Resources Services Administration, part of federal Title VII funding
for educational programs.
Co-authors on the manuscript included Dr. Shelley Mishoe, dean of the MCG School
of Allied Health Sciences, Dr. Kent Guion, associate dean for academic affairs,
Dr. Carol Campbell, associate dean of administration, and Dr. Art Taft, an
associate professor of respiratory therapy.
Since 1997, MCG students studying to be physician assistants, health information
administrators and respiratory, physical or occupational therapists have had the
opportunity to work in underprivileged areas while completing degree
requirements. The project also aimed to recruit minority students from rural
health areas.
“Research shows that students who come from those areas are more likely to
return there to practice once they graduate,” said Dr. Guion, a grant
coordinator. “This project is important in addressing health care shortages in
Georgia, where we have challenges producing enough allied health professionals
to fill open positions.”
These efforts are particularly important in Georgia, where the Department of
Labor projected a 91 percent growth in demand for occupational therapists from
1996-06, creating 461 new positions. The average vacancy rate for allied health
professionals in Georgia hospitals alone was 11.3 percent, accounting for more
than 1,000 positions.
The state’s 118 rural counties have approximately half as many physicians per
capita as metro counties and dramatic shortages of nurses, therapists and
nutritionists. Rural residents often face complex medical problems that require
treatment by a variety of health care professionals, Dr. Guion says.
The grant enabled all MCG senior allied health students to participate in these
types of interdisciplinary teams. Students went through an orientation process
that familiarized them with the team approach, cultural competency and rural
health care needs specific to the communities where they worked.
“We’re exposing students to other disciplines and the skill sets of other
providers,” Dr. Guion said. “When they’re in school, they often only associate
with those who are in their class, but when they graduate, they’ll be working
with a team of health care providers – especially if they’re working in a rural
area.”
Ninety-eight students participated in the grant project from January 2001
through July 2003; 17 participated in two sessions. More than 60 rotations were
in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas and 71 were in
designated Rural Health Clinics.
Student teams also worked with Area Health Education Centers and the Georgia
Hospital Association to offer solutions to rural health care issues. During
their clinical rotations, they familiarized site coordinators with the Georgia
Rural Health Interactive Directory, a searchable directory of health-related
resources in rural areas established by MCG.
“The impact of this project is that the combination of interdisciplinary
interactions, contacts with community partners and educational activities helped
increase student awareness and appreciation of the reality of rural health care
in Georgia,” Dr. Guion said. “Unfortunately, despite an increasing need for
these programs, there is a decreasing federal budget, which means it will be
extremely challenging to fund the project next year.” |