Applying to Rural Training Opportunities
The Rural Medical Scholars Program (RMSP) was created in 2007 to actively identify, recruit, and nurture those interested in future rural, or small town, practice. The University’s commitment to rural training means that the Office of Admissions seeks small town applicants and provides a holistic review of those applications for the College of Medicine. Interested applicants apply by selecting the Rural Medicine Supplemental option on Upstate’s secondary application. The Rural Medicine Supplemental is made available to medical student applicants after they have submitted their AMCASS application and their AMCASS application has been verified, downloaded, and accepted by our Admissions Office.
In the RMSP Supplemental Application, medical student applicants respond to the following questions:
- Why do you consider yourself suited to rural medical practice?
- If you have lived in a rural community, please describe it and indicate how long you have lived there.
- Describe your understanding of an issue or challenge facing rural communities now or in the future.
- Describe any relevant medical encounters that either you or your family has experienced. How has this influenced your desire to practice rural medicine?
- What are your future career goals?
The College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate offers several Special Admissions Options.
RMSP is not a clinical track program. We offer four years of elective courses focused on rural health issues. Once admitted into the College of Medicine, RMSP students are automatically enrolled in the preclinical course: Introduction to Rural Health (FAMP1646). RMSP students may elect to participate in subsequent rural health courses including: Rural Immersion Week (FAMP1651) during second year, Rural Medical Education (FAMP1650) during third year, and Rural Medicine Community Health AI (FAMP1652) during fourth year.
Further information about each course is available in the College’s Course Selection Book or found at http://1b7.casabo.net/fmed/education/rmed/index.php.
Upstate medical students not admitted through RMSP are welcome to join rural health electives upon approval from the Rural Medicine Scholars Program Director, Lauren Meyer.
Our rural electives are only available to matriculated, SUNY Upstate Medical University medical students.