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News from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Eight More Medical
Students Promise to Practice in Rural Arkansas Thanks to State-funded
Community Match Program
OCT.
31, 2002 | Eight new medical students at the University of
Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have received
appointments in the Community Match Program of the Rural
Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board.
The program will subsidize one or more years of the students’
medical education in exchange for their practicing primary
care – family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and
gynecology, or pediatrics – in rural communities for the
same number of years after completing their medical training.
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The students and the communities
where they have promised to practice are Elizabeth Eoff of
Arkadelphia (Harrison), Robin Forward of Camden (Magnolia), David
Geidl of Rogers (Clinton), Daniel Hardin of Heber Springs (Heber
Springs), Seth Hollenbach of Murfreesboro (Nashville), Giri
Srikanthan of Little Rock (Clinton), Alan Von Gremp of Rogers (Pea
Ridge), and Brad Walsh of Crossett (Crossett).
Yvonne L. Lewis, Ed.D., coordinator for the program, commented,
"The Community Match Program is a terrific opportunity for a
future physician to improve the health of rural Arkansans while
lessening the financial burden of attending the UAMS
College of Medicine."
The students join 90 others who have been community match
participants since the program’s inception in 1998. The Arkansas
General Assembly funds the program.
Several participants have completed their
residencies, or advanced, medical training and are now practicing
in rural communities.
Kirk Coker, M.D., of Stuttgart, Ark., was a participant in the
Community Match Program and did his residency at the UAMS AHEC in
Pine Bluff. He commented recently, "The Community
Match Program is a win-win situation for all participants. Most
importantly, it places physicians into rural areas of the state
that may not otherwise be able to receive medical care. It also
provides the opportunity for people to go to medical school.
"I had a wonderful experience at the AHEC
in Pine Bluff. Although Pine Bluff isn’t a rural town, the
patient population I served came from several underprivileged
rural areas in south Arkansas. When I entered medical school at
UAMS, I already knew that I wanted to go back to my hometown of
Stuttgart to practice. Working with the rural population around
Pine Bluff solidified my decision."
Links on This Page
College of Medicine: http://www.uams.edu/com/
Anatomy of a Rural Practice: http://www.uams.edu/today/2002/100902/AHEC.htm
© 2002 University of Arkansas for
Medical Sciences (UAMS). A single copy of these materials may be
reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "UAMS,"
"UAMS Medical Center," "UAMS Online,"
"UAMS Today," "UAMS Update," "uams.edu,"
and "Here's to Your Health" are marks of UAMS.
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11/04/02 |
