News Articles

Main Content

The 2026 Rural Medicine Education Symposium

Rakesh Patel
Rakesh Patel

By: Rakesh Patel

The School of Medicine’s IMPACT the RACE program hosted its fifth annual rural medicine education symposium, titled “The Rural Impact 2026”.  This CME event was held at the Norman Nelson Student Union on February 20 - 21 and was available at no cost for attendees. 

IMPACT the RACE Scholarship Recipients Right to Left: Madison Burden, Ta’Dashia Flowers, Mary Linton Davis, Maura I. Webb, Nancy Duarte-Sanchez, Kathleen C. Huey, Courtney P. Detwiler, Taylor T. Lampkin, Natasha L. Burrell-Etheridge, Morgan K. Williams, Emily A. Rigney, Maggie J. Everett, Michael A. Goldman, Lauren N. Sumrall, Morgan A. McCray, Danielle E. Holliday, Tyra Z. Lockett, Patrick B. Bufkin, Wilson M. Burke, Andrea N. Milton, Bailey E. Lynch, Jon P. Jones, Sarah K. Broadaway, William J. Sutton, Tyler J. Holland (not pictured Brooklyn A. Howe).

The event started on Friday evening where twenty-five SOM students were awarded a one year “full cost of attendance” scholarship.  The value of this scholarship is dependent upon other awards the student may have and can be up to $85,000.  These students have pledged to practice primary care in a rural Mississippi community after completing their residency training.  Scholarship awardees were selected based on an application showcasing their desire for rural primary care, as well as engagement in rural clinical training and community service throughout the year.  Three current rural physicians from across the state were invited to speak at the scholarship ceremony and offered their perspective and words of wisdom to the scholarship recipients.  The ceremony was followed by a reception and research poster presentation by SOM students. 

The symposium continued on Saturday with plenary sessions focused around various aspects of rural medicine.  The day kicked off with a firsthand look into the life of a rural physician.  Information was then presented regarding leveraging of state resources for rural physicians to assist in caring for patients.  The sessions wrapped up with two panel discussions on rural residency programs and health care in rural communities.  Attendees then walked over to the SOM’s Training Center, where skills training sessions were offered on placement of arterial lines and central venous catheters. 

In the coming weeks, a recording of the symposium plenary sessions will be available.  To access this recording, please email impacttherace@umc.edu and a link will be provided.