How rural Alabama benefits from this scholarship program for aspiring healthcare professionals

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Did you know the majority of Alabama’s counties have a primary care shortage, with many students unable to afford to follow their dreams of being healthcare professionals? Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has created a solution to help with both of these big problems. The Primary Care Scholarship Program is providing aspiring medical professionals with the tools they need to jumpstart their careers while providing rural areas and medically underserved communities with more doctors and nurses. Here are stories from real scholarship recipients and how they plan to serve our state’s rural areas.

This Alabama scholarship helps aspiring healthcare professionals

Bailey Manning (left), Alana Fortune (middle) and Jarrett Barnes (right). (The University of South Alabama / Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama)

Bailey Manning, Alana Fortune and Jarrett Barnes are three individuals who can explain the impact of the Primary Care Scholarship Program. After all, it’s helping them fulfill their dreams of being healthcare professionals.

Meet Bailey

Bailey grew up with a front-row seat to the medical field, as her mom was a doctor in Toxey, Alabama. One of her earliest memories was wanting to be a doctor. With the help of the Primary Care Scholarship Program, she’s fulfilling her dream. She’s now nearing the completion of medical school and is excited to practice in rural, medically underserved areas without having to worry about debt.

“There’s a need in the community for people to give good quality care, the same good quality care that people in cities get. The people in the rural areas shouldn’t get any less than that.”

Bailey Manning, medical student, The University of South Alabama

Meet Alana

At the early age of eight, Alana was telling her teachers that she wanted to be a doctor. Similar to Bailey, Alana’s mom worked in the medical field as a nurse. As she nears the end of her studies at the University of South Alabama, she looks forward to bringing big-city, quality mental health care to rural parts of Alabama.

“Rural communities in particular have so little access to psychiatric care, normally they have to go out to a big city which might be kind of far. Mental Health is already such a stigmatized topic that you don’t want to make it more difficult for patients to have access to care.”

Alana Fortune, medical student, The University of South Alabama

Meet Jarrett

Jarrett also had parents in the medical field, his dad being a family practice physician in Evergreen and his mom being a registered nurse.

“You get to see people from when they’re first born to when they have their children. You see the whole continuity of care, and you get those lasting relationships. That’s what I really enjoy.”

Jarrett Barnes, medical student, The University of South Alabama

Want to see who else received the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Primary Care Scholarship in 2023? Here’s the full list.

It helps underserved communities in Alabama, too

Take a look at this map from Alabama Public Health. It puts into perspective the number of Alabamians who don’t have access to primary care.

This is why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s program is so important. Recipients get tuition assistance, and they agree to practice as primary care or behavioral health physicians in an underserved area of Alabama after graduation. Many of them already dream of this, so it’s a win-win.

Learn more more ways Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is helping rural Alabama communities.

Applying for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Primary Care Scholarship

Bailey, Jarrett and Alana are just three of nearly two dozen medical students in Alabama who received primary care scholarships this year. Each year, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama awards these scholarship to students to help meet the needs of both students and rural residents.

If you or someone you know is interested in Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s scholarships, here are three colleges with more information.

• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) Information
• University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Information
• University of South Alabama (USA) Information

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Learn more more ways Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is helping rural Alabama communities.