Rural Scholars Program FAQs

What is the Rural Scholars Program?
The Rural Scholars Program offers medical school applicants, with a desire and commitment to provide medical services for rural and medically underserved populations, the focused education that will prepare them for life and practice in a rural community.

How do I apply to participate in the Rural Scholars Program?
Application for the Rural Medical Education Program will begin towards the end of the first semester and an interview process will help identify students who are a good fit for the Rural Medical Education program.

What are the medically underserved and inner-city opportunities?
Currently, students experience patient encounters under faculty supervision at Cornerstone Assistant Network. This is a clinic dedicated to helping patients with limited resources

What is the Texas Rural Health Association Student Chapter?
The Texas Rural Health Association Student Chapter is a student organization for all Health Science Center students who have an interest in rural health. The goal of this organization is the exchange of ideas and information regarding the intricacies of rural health. An important objective is to provide additional learning opportunities for student members and active involvement in rural community programs. Rural Scholars Program participants are strongly encouraged to join this organization

What is a clerkship?
A clerkship is a focused training rotation in a medical specialty area that is scheduled during Years 3 and 4. These rotations may be scheduled in a variety of clinical settings – ambulatory-based or hospital-based and have specific academic and testing requirements. For example: The TCOM Year 3 curriculum includes rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, Ob/Gyn, surgery, psychiatry, and osteopathic manipulative medicine. Rural Scholars complete these rotations at available rural-based locations outside the DFW area.

If I were accepted to participate in the Rural Scholars Program, am I required to select family medicine as my practice specialty?
No, not at all. The intent of this curriculum is to provide a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to any medical student who aspires to serve a rural, or underserved population, regardless of which specialty the student is interested in.

The vision of an initiative, such as the Rural Osteopathic Medical Education of Texas (ROME), is to address the need for physicians in rural and underserved areas of Texas. Primary care specialties, such as family medicine, Ob/Gyn, pediatrics, general internal medicine, and general surgery are critical areas of need. Obviously, these are areas we hope students will eventually consider.