Acceptable rural rotation sites include all medically underserved areas of West Virginia. Sites are classified as Level I, Level II or Level III based on the degree to which they are underserved. Students from rural areas may live with family or friends during the rotation at an approved rural site. Free housing will be provided by the Rural Health Education Partnership (RHEP) for students who need housing at RHEP approved sites. Students are required to participate in RHEP activities including interdisciplinary sessions and community service projects.

Here are some comments from Medical Technology students following their rural rotations:

• "The rural rotation provides an introduction to a job atmosphere that is very different from our class environment and experience at Ruby’s labs."
  
  
• "The rural enrichment rotation at the end of clinicals prepared me to enter the workplace."
  
  
• "I feel the rural rotation provides beneficial, hands-on experience for students."
  
  
• "Medical Technologists are desperately needed in rural areas of the state. Some facilities only like to hire BS med techs and they are very hard to find. I would highly recommend students trying rural rotations in the southern part of the state if such rotations are possible. Maybe it would spark a job interest and help with our med tech shortage."
  
  
• "My rural rotation was a truly wonderful experience. It helped me to really put my skills to work in a guided situation other than in school. I was able to see and experience how a lab worked when it wasn’t as advanced as Ruby’s lab. Also, the employees were excited to get the input of a new graduate. I would definitely recommend students participating in the rural rotation experience!"
  
  
• "I believe that the rural rotation showed me that there are smaller labs out there. I think that the med tech program at WVU is excellent. I’ve seen over the course of the last several years students that are coming from smaller educational programs do not seem to have the knowledge that WVU provides. The rural rotation at my hospital allowed me to see if I wanted to accept the job that was offered to me. I would recommend the rural rotations."
  
  
• "It was a good experience to see that everything wasn’t as modern and up-to-date as Morgantown. The role of a lab worker is much broader in the rural setting. Everyone knew everyone at my rural hospital so they treated each other better. I would say it’s a wonderful and necessary experience to do a rural rotation."
  
  
• "I think the rural rotation provided me with a look at how other smaller hospitals operate. I was then able to make comparisons with the way the lab operated at WVU and how the processes were at (the rural hospital). I became familiar with different instrumentation and methodologies. It is essential for students to have this experience in that it shows them that there is more than one way to perform certain tests. Overall the rural rotation is an excellent experience to build on skills and knowledge obtained in the classroom and during clinical rotations at WVU hospitals."
  
  
• "My rural rotation was a real eye opener in how smaller hospitals are run. The techs at (the rural hospital) seem to be more cross-trained because they have to be! At such a small hospital they seemed to work more like a team than individuals. Being able to spend time working and learning at Ruby is very beneficial to all. But it is also very misleading as to how the rest of smaller hospitals work. That is where the rural rotation picks up, providing the other view point."