Special Programs in Rural Health: Southern Illinois School of Medicine Lincoln Scholars Program
This Lincoln Scholars program launched in the summer of 2020 is one of several programs targeting the lack of doctors in rural settings. Currently, there are 8 students enrolled in the program. In Illinois, rural communities have almost 50 percent fewer physicians per capita than urban areas. This is consistent with national trends. Many medical schools are located in larger urban areas and the majority of medical students end up staying where they train. Pipeline programs aim to train their students in rural areas hoping this encourages them to ultimately set up shop there. The Lincoln Scholars program participants spend all 4 of their training years at the Southern Illinois campus gaining rural experience in nearby towns. There is an emphasis on early clinical integration first year and start clinical rotations in the 2nd year of the program, establishing a longitudinal relationship with a rural physician for 4 years. The program was established based on a report on the state of rural health in Illinois. Spending time training in rural areas allows students to build relationships, develop problem-solving skills related to the social determinants of health and barriers such as lack of transportation or internet, and prepare for challenges such as lack of specialty networks and how to access them. There is no requirement to establish a practice in a rural area, the hope is that early exposure will eliminate some of the perceived barriers to rural practice. Admission to the program requires completing the regular application to SIU School of Medicine and an additional essay detailing interest in, and potential for, work as a primary care physician in rural Illinois. The SIU School of Medicine program only accepts legal Illinois residents for the regular MD program.
The interactive map below is from the Rural Health Information Hub and identifies counties with healthcare shortages based on publicly available federal data. It is worth a look - there are plenty of surprises. In my local area of Massachusetts and Rhode Island where it appears there is a hospital or doctor every 10 feet there are counties identified as shortage areas. I think many students are put off from pursuing a “rural medicine” track in medical school due to the misconception that all healthcare shortages are in the middle of nowhere, and I think it is interesting to explore the data and discover that there are healthcare shortages in proximity to more urban or metropolitan areas.
The SIU School of Medicine program only accepts legal Illinois residents for the regular MD program.
About 1 in 5 medical schools has a rural program (since 2017) doubling since 2008. There are approximately 39 medical schools (MD/DO), 34 MD and 5 DO, that have a formal rural program, the majority are public schools (84.6%). Only 5 programs are located in a rural area, but slightly more than half have multiple campuses. Some programs are “pipeline” programs, engaging students as early as high school, but most are “pathway” programs you can take once enrolled in medical school. One quarter of the programs show an admissions preference to students with a rural background or rural interest/intent. 100% of the program offer a rural clinical experience, and 71% include a rural non clinical curricula, and the majority require a rural scholarly project.
Map of MD and DO programs with rural health tracks. Longenecker RL, et. al. Pipelines to Pathways: Medical School Commitment to Producing a Rural Workforce. The Journal of Rural Health 37 (2021): 723-733
