Student Quotes

"Being a part of Rural Health Scholars has been a valuable part of my medical school education so far. As someone who is committed to working with underserved populations, the pathway has allowed me to learn more about the challenges that exist in such communities. I came into the pathway not knowing much about what rural medicine would look like or if I would want to practice in a rural area but that did not matter. As long as you are coming in with a curiosity and desire to learn, the pathway will serve you well. I have come to further realize the importance of interprofessional work in medicine and the impact of social determinants of health on the well-being of rural residents. The pathway allowed me to meet inspiring providers, many of whom share the same passion for working with underserved communities. No matter what specialty you are interested in, Rural Health Scholars will open your eyes to challenges your future patients may face in maintaining and improving their overall health."

Diana Sibai, UMass Chan Medical School Class of 2023

"Being a part of RHS program has given me so many incredible learning opportunities, but unexpectedly it also provided me with a wonderful community of mentors and friends. Suzanne Cashman is committed to supporting students in all aspects of their medical and professional careers. What I learned from the RHS program went deeper than lessons on how to practice medicine in a rural setting, it taught me how to be a compassionate, concerned, committed advocate and healer for my patients and my community."

Hallie Geller, UMass Chan Medical School Class of 2022

"For me, Rural Health Scholars hasn't only been about learning what it's like to practice medicine in rural areas; I have learned what it's like to practice medicine with limited resources, which is applicable to treating many underserved populations both urban and rural. It also gave me a small community within the larger medical school. For the first two years, it was like a home base, where we learned about interesting topics and had clinically relevant workshops, a welcome addition to the standard biochem and anatomy. And then RHS help me navigate through my third-year clerkships and gave me a place to ask questions and seek out mentorship from more senior students."

Inbar Yamin, UMass Chan Medical School Class of 2019

“I'd like to again express gratitude for the opportunity and support setting up and financing my experience in Great Barrington, MA… Dr. Pacheco has been fantastic. He's been professional and respectful, particularly considering there are no NP providers or students around. Above all, he's a great teacher and is exceptionally bright… This opportunity has further sparked my interest in both emergency medicine and rural health.”

Steve Purcell, Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing Class of 2019

"The rural health scholars program was an incredible adjunct to the traditional medical school curriculum. In the program, I learned about the unique challenges of caring for rural populations, connected with mentors working in rural areas, completed clinical rotations in rural sites, and explored rural health policy at conferences. The program's faculty are genuinely committed to students and help make the curriculum relevant to each individual's interests. This experience has undoubtedly shaped my career plans and influenced my decision to pursue family medicine."

Annika Bannon, UMass Chan Medical School Class of 2019

"Rural health scholars started off as an, 'I want to learn more about what this all means,' and it turned into a real desire to work in a rural area. I’m so glad that I became a part of your group because I learned so much about rural health but also a lot about myself and how and where I want to practice."

Kari Whitney, Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing Class of 2018