By Lucy Bowman
On July 27, 2024, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran announced that he had secured $2.1 million for McPherson College’s Rural Health Initiative. These funds will be delivered to the college later this fall, and will be used to enhance areas of the health science and natural science programs. Since the announcement, faculty in both departments have worked collaboratively to determine how the money will be used. This is the first time in McPherson College history that the institution has received federal funds. This historic announcement comes at a time of massive changes across campus, jumpstarting even more advancements.
McPherson College has always worked to educate students to address the unique challenges that rural and community healthcare providers face, and the federal funds will further those efforts. Last spring, the college made progress towards this goal by expanding its health science program. This allowed students to complete a clinical, administrative, behavioral or community health emphasis to apply to their major.
According to Assistant Professor Jamie Fuqua, the federal funds will simply enhance the current changes that are already being made to the program. This will likely include upgraded lab opportunities and additional internship opportunities, both of which improve health science student’s ability to engage in what Fuqua calls “experiential learning.” This hands-on approach to learning is highly valued in the health science department, which is why the professors partner with the hospital and other local healthcare institutions to provide opportunities to students. According to Fuqua, “These things help our students be more prepared to address the challenges that rural health brings.”
This focus on rural healthcare comes at a critical time. According to research conducted by the National Rural Healthcare Association, “economic factors, cultural and social differences, educational shortcomings, lack of recognition by legislators, and the sheer isolation of living in remote areas all conspire to create health care disparities and impede rural Americans in their struggle to lead normal, healthy lives.” Rural healthcare is overrun and underfunded, and there are many gaps in care. This makes finding appropriate care nearly impossible for rural residents. However, the college is hoping to remedy some of the disparities rural populations face.
According to Professor Fuqua, “a lot of the job shortages are in those rural health areas, especially for the state of Kansas…so that’s why we want to help be part of the solution.” The federally funds allow the college to do just that, by providing the science departments the resources they need to create exciting learning opportunities. For example, the college hopes to purchase anatomy tables that would allow students to experiment with cadavers without having to create an entire laboratory space.
So, over the next few months, keep your eyes peeled for internship positions, research opportunities, and new science equipment in the health science and natural science departments!
