Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus

Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus

Mission

The Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus in St George, Utah, trains future physicians dedicated to advancing healthcare in rural Utah. Through a community-centered curriculum and hands-on experiences across the region, students gain the skills, knowledge, and compassion to become leaders in rural primary care.

**SFESOM MD application cycle runs from May to March each year

Group In White Coats On Steps
View of St George, Utah at sunset with the mountains in the background

Rural Medicine Scholars and Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus

The Rural Medicine Scholars (RMS) Program at the Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus (SURMC) prepares future physicians to serve Utah's rural communities through a focus on rural primary care and population health. While RMS and traditional MD students complete the same core curriculum, RMS students receive additional opportunities to engage with rural healthcare providers and communities across the state. After receiving a secondary application from the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, RMS applicants may choose to apply to select either:

  • RMS Salt Lake City (SLC)
  • RMS Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus (SURMC)

All RMS students complete their first year in Salt Lake City. Students in the RMS SURMC pathway transition to St. George for Phases 2 and 3. Each year, 20 Rural Medicine Scholars are admitted: 10 in Salt Lake City and 10 at SURMC, all committed to advancing rural health across Utah.

Admissions FAQ

  • Admissions requirments are the same as the SLC campus. Applications receive a mission-aligned review. All activities are considered as part of an application in addition to grades and test scores. 

    View full list of requirements and activities here.

  • Students deeply committed to rural health care. Students will be equipped with the skills, knowledge, and experiences necessary to thrive in rural primary care practice in Utah. Students not interested in pursuing a practice in rural primary care should apply to the Salt Lake City campus. 

    SURMC students will be enrolled in of two graduate certificates: Tribal, Rural and Underserved Medical Education (TRUE) or Population Health Sciences. 

  • All applications must be submitted through American Medical College Application Services (AMCAS). Students invited to complete a secondary application may indicate their interest in the Rural Medicine Scholars (RMS) program or regular MD. Once RMS MD is selected, the application will choose either or both the RMS Salt Lake City (SLC) or RMS Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus (SURMC). Applicants choosing the RMS pathway will complete additional secondary essay questions that help assess their interest, experience, and commitment to rural primary care and population health in Utah.

  • No. A rural background is not required to apply. However, an applicant's background and experience are considered as part of the review process to determine an applicant’s commitment to serving rural communities in Utah. 

  • No. However, residency status is considered in the allocation of seats. As a program intended to increase the number of rural primary care physicians in Utah, Utah residents are prioritized for admission above out-of-state applicants. 

    **Out-of-state applicants with a payback requirement, including Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana residents (due to seat allocation constraints and WICHE funding agreements) are not eligible to apply to SURMC. 

  • The regional campus generally follows the same admissions timeline as the Salt Lake City campus. Interview invitations for the campus will begin in August, with interviews occurring in November. Due to our rolling admissions process, applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as early as they are able. There is a priority submission deadline of August 1, with the ability to submit applications through October 1.

    • Applicants must choose to apply to either the traditional MD program or the Rural Medicine Scholars (RMS) MD program.
    • After submitting an application through AMCAS and receiving an invitation to complete a secondary application, applicants will select the MD program they wish to pursue. Those who choose the Rural Medicine Scholars MD program will then have the option to apply to RMS Salt Lake City (SLC), RMS Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus (SURMC), or both.
    • All Rural Medicine Scholars complete Phase 1 of the curriculum in Salt Lake City. Students selected for the RMS SURMC pathway will complete Phases 2 and 3 at the Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus in St. George.

  • Applicants who are not selected for a Rural Medicine Scholars (RMS) Program interview will be notified and will not be considered for admission to the traditional MD program at the Salt Lake City campus.

Miscellaneous FAQ

  • We understand that specialty preferences may evolve over the course of medical school. For students who decide not to continue the unique program focus on rural primary care at the SURMC, each case will be reviewed individually. All students enrolled in the SURMC are expected to complete the requirements of their chosen graduate certificate program by the end of year three of the MD program. At the conclusion of year three, SURMC students choosing a residency in a non-primary care specialty may request to relocate to the Salt Lake City campus to complete year four. A personalized plan to facilitate a smooth transition back to the Salt Lake City campus will be created for approved relocation requests.

  • No, not currently. However, the SFESOM has two financial aid options that align particularly well with the requirement for SURMC students to complete a 15-credit graduate certificate in either the TRUE Program or Population Health Sciences. Completion of the TRUE Program is a core requirement for students accepted into the Rural Primary Care Track. Completion of the graduate certificate in population health or a TRUE graduate certificate is a core requirement for students accepted into the Intermountain Health Population Health Scholars Program. Students applying to the SURMC will be required to apply to each of these programs during the secondary application process. If students choose to accept either of these financial aid options, they will be bound by the requirements of the respective program.

  • The Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus is designed to help address physician workforce needs in Southern Utah and rural communities throughout the Intermountain West. Students are encouraged to consider specialties that are essential to rural healthcare and align with population health priorities, including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, adult neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and general surgery. SURMC students may also apply to the Population Health Scholars Program, which provides additional training in population health and financial assistance through a forgivable loan. Participants must complete residency training in one of these seven specialties and fulfill the program's employment requirements to qualify for loan forgiveness.

  • All students at the SFESOM are eligible to apply to a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loan forgiveness programs for students committed to working in primary care and in rural and medically underserved areas.

  • No, not currently. However, the SFESOM has two financial aid options that align particularly well with the requirement for SURMC students to complete a 15-credit graduate certificate in either the TRUE Program or Population Health Sciences. Completion of the TRUE Program is a core requirement for students accepted into the Rural Primary Care Track. Completion of the graduate certificate in population health sciences is a core requirement for students accepted into the Intermountain Health Population Health Scholars Program. Students applying to the SURMC will be required to apply to each of these programs during the secondary application process. If students choose to accept either of these financial aid options, they will be bound by the requirements of the respective program. 

  • The SURMC collaborates with local healthcare providers, community organizations, and public health agencies to address healthcare needs and improve access to services in rural areas. Interprofessional education in the region plays a vital role in community engagement by and will equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration, enabling them to become leaders in Utah’s rural communities.

  • Yes, students will be required to complete a community engagement experience during phase two and capstone project in either TRUE or population health sciences in phase three. Additional experiences are encouraged to engage in community service projects and outreach programs that benefit rural populations.

  • Students admitted to the SURMC will complete phase one of the MD program in Salt Lake City, engaging in the care of patients in a student-led clinic network that connects students with medically underserved communities. During phase two, students will complete LICs in clinics and community health centers in St. George and surrounding areas, with immersive inpatient experiences at affiliated hospitals in the region. During phase three, students will complete required clinical rotations at affiliated hospitals in the region, and have an opportunity to travel further afield throughout the state and broaden their clinical experiences at a variety of healthcare settings.

  • Utah’s most rural and frontier communities rely heavily on “full spectrum” family medicine physicians prepared to meet a majority of the healthcare needs in their communities. Full-spectrum family medicine includes: 
    outpatient primary care

    • inpatient medicine
    • urgent and emergency care
    • maternity care
    • sports medicine
    • mental health care
    • public health
    • international medicine
    • wilderness medicine
    • procedures, education, and research

    A focus on full spectrum family medicine prepares students to enter primary care fields, such as family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology. Together with meeting the core curriculum requirements, students who attend the SURMC will also be prepared to enter other high need generalist fields in rural communities, such as psychiatry and general surgery.

  • We recognize that career interests may change throughout medical school. Students in the Rural Medicine Scholars (RMS) Program are expected to participate fully in the program's focus on rural primary care and population health, as well as complete any required certificate program by the end of Phase 3. Students whose career goals evolve toward a non-primary care specialty will be reviewed on an individual basis. In some circumstances, students may request to complete their final year of medical school in Salt Lake City, and approved requests will be supported with an individualized transition plan.

Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine Mission Statement

The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah serves all people and communities of Utah and the Mountain West by intentionally working to improve individual and community health outcomes and quality of life. This is achieved through excellence in patient care, education, and research by:

  • Purposefully educating physicians, scientists, and health care professionals to ensure compassionate, patient-centered care to all.
  • Serving rural and underserved communities by addressing social determinants of health to decrease health disparities among all people.
  • Engaging in scholarly research to advance knowledge, innovation, well-being, and health for all people.
  • Fostering a culture of respect and community for students, trainees, staff, faculty, and community partners.