TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences recently welcomed the 2024 class of the Tuscaloosa Rural Pre-Medical Internship, a summer program for college students in pre-medical studies who are interested in rural primary care.
The seven-week program provides opportunities for interns to learn about the health needs of rural Alabama residents, particularly in the fields of family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. Participants also gain a better understanding of the day-to-day life of family medicine doctors. In addition, the program seeks to enhance their understanding of medical school and increase their competitiveness for medical school admission.
The program is part of the college’s Rural Programs and its Rural Health Leaders Pipeline. The pipeline is a sequence of programs from high school through medical school that recruit students from rural Alabama interested in working as future doctors and other health care professionals in rural communities.
“We are excited to welcome our 12 new rural pre-med interns as they look to interact with our CCHS faculty and staff to learn more about the needs of our rural communities in the state,” said LaKeshia Whigham, coordinator for CCHS Rural Programs. “We hope the clinical exposure here at the college, intertwined with community experiences, will strengthen their desire to practice rural medicine.”
Students spend five weeks at CCHS and two weeks with a primary care physician near their hometown. They will complete the internship program July 12.
To be eligible for the internship, students must have completed four semesters of undergraduate coursework, obtained an overall GPA of a 3.0 or higher and scored at least 22 on the ACT or 1200 on the SAT. Only rural Alabama residents are accepted.
The 2024 Tuscaloosa Rural Pre-Medical Internship class includes:
- Augusta Arnold, of Greensboro
- De’Von Benjamin, of Selma
- Valencia Bryant, of Selma
- Alex Davis, of Wilsonville
- Harrison Dial, of Satsuma
- Erica Doss, of Andalusia
- Nia Jones, of Attalla
- Salil Kumar, of Muscle Shoals
- Matthew Merritt, of Bridgeport
- Caroline Ricks, of Clanton
- Alijyanah Sanders, of Enterprise
- Madilyn Webb, of Ozark
The University of Alabama, part of The University of Alabama System, is the state’s flagship university. UA shapes a better world through its teaching, research and service. With a global reputation for excellence, UA provides an inclusive, forward-thinking environment and nearly 200 degree programs on a beautiful, student-centered campus. A leader in cutting-edge research, UA advances discovery, creative inquiry and knowledge through more than 30 research centers. As the state’s largest higher education institution, UA drives economic growth in Alabama and beyond.
Contact
Kandis Snyder, UA College of Community Health Sciences, kasnyder2@ua.edu