The Larner College of Medicine joined communities across the U.S. in celebration of National Rural Health Day on November 21, 2024. This annual event celebrates the “Power of Rural” and honors individuals and organizations dedicated to addressing the unique health care needs of nearly 61 million people currently living in rural America.
The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont joins communities across the U.S. in celebration of National Rural Health Day (NRHD) on November 21, 2024. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and rural-focused organizations throughout the United States set aside the third Thursday of November to recognize NRHD. This annual event is an opportunity to celebrate the “Power of Rural” and honor individuals and organizations dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare needs of nearly 61 million people currently living in rural America.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Vermont has the highest rural population in the country with 64.9% of its population living in rural areas. Rural communities face numerous challenges to maintaining healthy populations across vast geographic spaces, often resulting in poorer health outcomes including higher mortality rates, chronic illness, and a disproportionate shortage of qualified health care providers.
Larner College of Medicine works to expand medical education for college graduates interested practicing health care in rural areas. Efforts include clinical partnerships with providers in rural communities, research and policy studies on rural health care topics, and incentive programs to create a pipeline of physicians practicing in rural Vermont.
"It is of vital importance that we, in collaboration with the University of Vermont Health Network, University of Vermont Medical Center, and University of Vermont Cancer Center ensure all rural Vermonters have the opportunity to be healthy and have access to affordable, quality health care regardless of where they call home," said Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of the Larner College of Medicine.
The work of educators, physicians, and researchers at Larner College of Medicine attracts top medical students from rural regions including Kate Williams and Osee Koulong, both from the Class of 2028.
Williams never envisioned herself going into medicine. But then her brother, Tanner, underwent neurosurgery in the summer of 2018, aimed at treating his epilepsy. After spending three weeks at Boston Children’s Hospital, she saw, “what medicine can do for individuals and their families. I realized that I wanted to make a similar impact on the lives of others.”
However, growing up in a small town in Upstate New York allowed her to understand that the care her brother received was not available outside of large academic centers. This sparked her interest in rural medicine. In the future, she hopes to serve communities in Vermont and New York’s North Country.
A first-generation immigrant from Cameroon, Osee Koulong grew up in a rural community where access to health care was extremely limited. This allowed him to witness firsthand the devastating impact of limited access to medical care in such communities.
Losing his father early in his childhood due to this lack of resources gave Koulong a new perspective on life and sparked a fire within him. His experiences, coupled with a desire to make a difference, have inspired him to pursue medicine at the Larner College of Medicine.
Erika Ziller, Ph.D., recently received a $2.8 million grant from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to address the need for rural health care improvement. Ziller and her team will establish the Northeast Rural Health Research Center (NeRHRC) as a consortium between the University of Vermont (UVM) and University of Southern Maine (USM) to conduct applied research focused on rural health care access. Individual projects will study topics such asrural health insurance, emergency medical services, behavioral health (including substance use), chronic disease and healthy aging, and policy strategies to support rural health care providers.
Ziller is the director of the UVM Larner College of Medicine Health Services Research Center and has more than 25 years of experience in rural health research. Prior to joining UVM, Ziller was the Director of Maine Rural Health Center at USM and is delighted to continue collaborating with her former colleagues through the NeRHRC.
Ziller notes, “So much of our ability to access the health care we need is affected by public policy at the federal and state levels. Through this regional collaboration with Maine, we hope to identify policy improvement opportunities so that our rural communities can be healthy.”
For more information about the NeRHRC or Health Services Research at LCOM, contact Dr. Ziller.
Additional programs and initiatives at the Larner College of Medicine that address rural health care challenges include:
Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program
A statewide network of community and academic partners that works to achieve a well-trained healthcare workforce so that all Vermonters have access to quality care, including those who live in Vermont's most rural areas and Vermont's underserved populations. The program includes two regional AHECs and the UVM AHEC Program Office.
AHEC Scholars
The AHEC Scholars Program is a voluntary, nationally recognized program for health professions students/residents. It provides opportunities for trainees to increase knowledge, strengthen leadership skills, and gain competencies within eight broad topic areas.
U.S. News & World Report Rankings
The Larner College of Medicine ranked 49th in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings for most graduates practicing in rural areas. The college was also ranked:
- 4th for most diverse medical schools
- 82nd for most graduates practicing in health professional shortage areas
- 69th for most graduates practicing in primary care
Northeast Rural Health Research Center (NeRHRC)
In continuing to address the need for rural health care, the Northeast Rural Health Research Center will conduct research focused on rural health care access with a recent $2.8 million grant from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. The Center will collaborate with the University of Southern Maine to study topics including rural health insurance, emergency medical services, behavioral health, healthy aging, and policy strategies to support rural health care providers.