Rural Medicine Scholars

In places this wide, care looks different.

Your training should too.

Rural Medicine Scholars trains physicians for where they’re needed most.

Is it right for you?

Rural Medicine Scholars

In places this wide, care looks different.

Your training should too.

Rural Medicine Scholars trains physicians for where they’re needed most.

Is it right for you?

Why Rural Medicine Scholars?

In Utah, there are only about 60 primary care physicians per 100,000 people. That’s the lowest rate in the country.

It hits rural communities hard: longer travel, fewer choices, and gaps in care.

We designed Rural Medicine Scholars to address these shortages.

What is Rural Medicine Scholars?

We’re a training program for medical students drawn to careers in rural and underserved communities across Utah and the Mountain West.

This program is specifically for students interested in rural primary care and other high-need fields which include: family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, combined general internal medicine with general pediatrics, and other high-need generalist fields (obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, psychiatry, and neurology).

Through a thoughtful blend of clinical training, community engagement, and immersive experiences, you’ll build the skills and perspective needed to serve where you’re needed most.

This is more than specialized training. It’s a commitment to people and place.

You'll Gain

You’ll gain

Broad, adaptable clinical skills for rural practice

Experience in community engagement and leadership

A deep understanding of health promotion

Insight into the social and environmental factors that shape health

You'll build these skills by training in rural areas where you might one day serve. Immersion isn’t an add-on, it’s the foundation of how you learn.

Explore the curriculum

Merged Strength

Built on the legacy of programs at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine—such as RUUTE and TRUE—and alongside the Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus, Rural Medicine Scholars combines years of experience into one unified pathway.

You may find yourself:

Working with a preceptor in a tight-knit rural or tribal community

Participating in a Community Engagement Experience (CEE)

Contributing to research focused on rural health challenges

Training through a rural Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC)

Learning at the Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus, where care and community are closely connected

Belonging in the Beehive State and Beyond

Many students who train in Utah stay in or near the state, continuing their residency and practice in the communities that shaped them. For some, this path is also a return to the towns they grew up in (or to places like them).

Whether you’re from a rural community or feel called to one, as a Rural Medicine Scholar you’ll build the skills to shape the future of healthcare for people spread across our beautiful Mountain West.

Feeling The Pull?

Apply