COURSE CURRICULUM

The MS in Rural Community Health program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours for completion and is divided into two structured tracks: the Rural Medical Scholar (RMS) track and the Rural Community Health Scholar (RCHS) track. The RMS track is a one-year intensive pathway designed for students selected into a medical school pipeline, while the RCHS track is a two-year program intended for students strengthening their academic preparation for possible entry into the RMS pathway or other health professional programs. Both tracks share a common academic foundation, after which students complete track-specific core courses and approved electives aligned with rural health training and medical preparation goals.All students begin with a set of required core courses that establish a foundation in rural health systems and population-level health policy. These include RCH 500 Rural Environment/Occupational Health (3 credit hours) and POPH 521 Health Policy & Planning (3 credit hours), along with one selected basic science course (3–4 credit hours) chosen from a list that includes physiology, histology, immunology, biochemistry, virology, or endocrinology. These basic science courses are designed to strengthen biomedical knowledge relevant to both rural healthcare practice and medical school readiness.Beyond the shared core, students complete an additional 20–21 credit hours within their chosen track, bringing the total program requirement to 30 credit hours. Although courses such as RCH 522 Community Clinical Process I, RCH 532 Community Clinical Process II, CHS 540 Rural Community Interaction I, and CHS 541 Rural Community Interaction II are categorized as additional core or track-specific requirements, they are intentionally designed with overlapping learning outcomes focused on rural community health practice. These courses also provide structured clinical exposure, community engagement, and preparation for medical education pathways, particularly for students aiming for rural primary care careers.The curriculum is intentionally flexible for RCHS students transitioning into the RMS track. Students who are accepted into RMS after their first year shift into the RMS curriculum and complete the specialized one-year medical pipeline structure. Those who remain in RCHS complete the full two-year sequence, including additional core coursework and electives tailored to rural health competencies, medical preparation, and community-based healthcare understanding.