Announcing the Arkansas Rural Health Scholarship

We are excited to announce the first annual Arkansas Rural Health Scholarship for medical students in Arkansas! Dr. Rhys Branman created this scholarship to support, empower, and encourage first-year medical and nursing students in Arkansas who are interested in practicing medicine in rural areas of the state.

Why rural Arkansas?

Rural areas face a documented shortage of essential healthcare professionals, especially in primary care fields. According to a 2013 federal report, the demand for healthcare professionals is only expected to grow. In addition, the rising cost of education directly impacts the ability of students to pursue a healthcare degree, compounding the rural health workforce shortage.

Financial aid is an important tool in building the health workforce in rural communities through recruitment and retention. To help address this national and regional problem, Dr. Branman has developed a scholarship program to assist new healthcare students with the burden of cost while encouraging them to serve and practice in underserved areas. This brand-new scholarship is intended to attract and support future medical and nursing practitioners who will serve a rural community in the state of Arkansas.

Learn more about rural health in the U.S.

Who can apply?

Arkansas residents pursuing a degree in a medical specialty* with a focus on rural medicine are encouraged to apply for the $2,500 scholarship.

Eligible scholarship participants must:

• Be a current resident of Arkansas
• Be an undergraduate or postgraduate medical or nursing student pursuing a degree and career path in a medicine-related field* at an institution of higher learning in Arkansas
• Be committed to rural health medicine, serving in shortage areas of Arkansas upon completion of their medical education or residency training
• Submit one letter of recommendation with valid contact information
• Complete the application form and provide original essay answers

*Eligible degrees to pursue include: Doctorate (MD, DO, DPM, DDS, DMD, DPM, DMD, OD, PsyD, PharmD, DCM, DS, DPT, DSN, PhD, DNP), Nursing (RN, NP, CNM, CRNA, LPN), Master’s (MPH, MM, MMS, MN, MNA, MPharm, MPAS, MSN, MSM), and Physician’s Assistant (PA, PAC).

Scholarship details

The scholarship award will be disbursed directly to the student in the form of a $2,500 cash prize. The selected student will be required to furnish the information necessary to issue a 1099 tax form, including social security number, as part of the process for dispersing scholarship monies. The student will be responsible for any resulting tax obligations.

The scholarship award is to be used toward tuition fees and educational expenses, including but not limited to: textbooks, supplies (paper, pens, notebooks, etc.), required technology, on-campus dining, housing, and transportation costs.

The scholarship application period runs through Friday, October 29, 2021, at which point submitted applications will be reviewed by the committee and a winner will be selected.

Click here to apply for the Spring 2021 Arkansas Rural Health scholarship.

Dr. Rhys Branman is delighted to play a part in supporting healthcare for rural communities and honored to offer this scholarship to people living in our great state. We wish all of our applicants the best of luck!