Rural Health Interest Group

Our Mission:
Our mission is to form a student interest group, open to all health science disciplines, devoted to rural health care, and dedicated to educating others about the rewards and challenges of rural health care.

Goals and Objectives:

• Provide a meeting place for the teaching, learning, and discussion of issues relating to rural healthcare
• Promote professional relationships between students and between healthcare professionals
• Promote education about rural healthcare to the university by sponsoring lectures and seminars on rural health topics
• Provide community service opportunities to all interested individuals, focusing on rural communities
• Provide shadowing opportunities for students
• Encourage student membership within the National Rural Health Association and its state affiliate, the West Virginia State Rural Health Association
• Provide advocacy training
• Provide education and opportunities for rural health professions scholarships, grants, and research
• Maintain an active role in the breakdown of harmful stereotypes about rural communities
• Promote attendance at state and national rural health conferences organized by the state and national Rural Health Associations

Bylaws:

• Any student enrolled in any health professions training program at West Virginia University is eligible for membership
• The Rural Health Interest Group will meet monthly during the school year, and more often if deemed necessary by its members
• The group will be governed by an elected body of students, consisting of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Officers will be elected at the last meeting of every academic year.
• There will be, as needed, representatives from each school and program in the Health Sciences Center. If there are no student members from a given school, they will not have a representative on the executive committee.
• The executive committee will consist of the four officers, plus program and school representatives.
• The group will maintain a close relationship with the Rural Health Education Partnerships program and the state and national Rural Health Associations.

Statement of Affiliation:
The WVU Rural Health Interest Group supports the mission and goals of the National Rural Health Association and the West Virginia Rural Health Association. By encouraging membership in both organizations by our members and leaders, we affiliate ourselves with these organizations, and will maintain a spirit of partnerships with both groups throughout the WVU Rural Health Interest Group’s existence.

Links:
The National Rural Health Association: http://www.ruralhealthweb.org
The West Virginia Rural Health Association: http://www.wvrha.org