The Rural Undergraduate Shadowing in Healthcare Program provides participants with a unique experience that offers insight into what it is like to practice a health profession in rural West Virginia.
The RUSH program is very competitive and only awards four spots per year. Participants must be a current WVU student in good academic standing planning to pursue a health career with the long-term goal of practicing in rural and/or underserved areas of West Virginia in Family Medicine or Dentistry. Selected students shadow a rural practitioner for a total of 20 hours during specific dates agreed upon by the participating practitioner and the student and work with the WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health and the WVU Pre-Health Professional Development Office to identify other rural-related programs relevant to your chosen health profession discipline including research and service activities. RUSH students also meet one or more times with the Pre-Health Professional Development Office to put together their professional school application, which includes guidance on class choice, writing a personal statement, mock interviews, and obtaining a committee letter.
This year's RUSH-ers are:
Seth Levi Smith, a junior majoring in immunology and medical microbiology from Delbarton, who will shadow Dr. Laura Nulph at the Pendleton Community Care Health Center in Franklin.
Brianna Hodak, a junior majoring in biochemistry from Spring Church, Pennsylvania, will shadow dentists at Minnie Hamilton Health Systems in Grantsville.
Lauren Olivia Barbee, a sophomore majoring in forensic chemistry, from Concord, North Carolina, will shadow Dr. Angela Cherry at Harpers Ferry Family Medicine in Harpers Ferry.
Christina White, a junior majoring in biology and international studies from Morgantown, will shadow Dr. Joanna Bailey at Tug River Medical Center in Pineville.
For more information contact Christie J. Zachary, Program Manager of Student Outreach and Marketing, WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health christie.zachary@hsc.wvu.edu