As a result of the nationwide decline in student enrollment across higher education, Dr. Rhys Branman of Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center has extended the Arkansas Rural Health Scholarship application deadline through Fall of 2021.

 

Earlier this spring, Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center announced the launch of their inaugural Arkansas Rural Health Scholarship, a $2,500 award which assists first-year medical and nursing students committed to practicing in underserved rural areas of Arkansas.

 

Dr. Branman is passionate about this cause in his home state. “There is a shortage of primary care practitioners in rural Arkansas, and this problem has been compounded by the pandemic. COVID-19 has not only brought this lack of care to light but also shown how it is worsened by glaring socioeconomic disparities in the region,” says Dr. Branman.

Dr. Rhys Branman

The Arkansas Rural Health Scholarship deadline has been extended through October 29, 2021 in response to the decline in both undergraduate and graduate enrollment in Arkansas since the beginning of the pandemic.

 

While the Arkansas Rural Health Scholarship is focused more on student merit than financial need, it stands out from other scholarship programs because of its flexible award terms. Funds from the scholarship can be applied to any costs associated with education, ranging from tuition to supplies, textbooks, computers, transportation, housing, and more. The scholarship also has a very simple application process intended to reduce communication and logistical barriers for its applicants.

 

According to Dr. Branman, “Our actions today will have a large impact on the status of healthcare in rural Arkansas tomorrow. We have a collective responsibility to contribute to the recovery of these fragile communities, and I am proud to help bring more medical professionals to our region. I believe that together we cannot just get through this pandemic, but come out more resilient.”

 

Eligible degrees for the Arkansas Rural Health Scholarship include: Doctorate (MD, DO, DPM, DDS, DMD, DPM, DMD, OD, PsyD, PharmD, DCM, DS, DPT, DSN, PhD, DNP), Nursing (RN, NP, CNM, CRNA, LPN), Master’s (MPH, MM, MMS, MN, MNA, MPharm, MPAS, MSN, MSM), and Physician’s Assistant (PA, PAC).

 

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