State tries different approach to attract physicians, dentists to rural areas

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Getting physicians and dentists to set up practice in rural areas of Mississippi can be a tough sell. That’s why the state is trying a different approach.

Growing its own.

The Mississippi Rural Physicians and Rural Dentists Scholarship Program provides academic enrichment, mentoring, and financial support to medical and dental students who then agree to help meet the state’s healthcare needs by agreeing to practice in underserved areas.

The program’s director was in Columbus. She said the need has always been great in these areas, but since COVID that need has increased, because many experienced physicians closed their practices.

“I mean there are so many places in our state where there’s such a need for people to have healthcare and have good healthcare. People in rural areas of our state need really good healthcare, and so we’re sending those students out into those places to practice medicine and dentistry. And that’s the purpose of this program. That’s what we’re doing every day,” said Wahnee Sherman, Executive Director of MRDSP.

The program provides up to 61 medical and 12 dental scholarships per year.

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