Press Release

FSU Medical Students to get Glimpse of Rural Medicine Through Unique Learning Experience

MEDIA ADVISORY

 

CONTACT: Terri Johnson, College of Medicine

(850) 544-0022; terri.johnson@med.fsu.edu

 

May 28, 2019

 

FSU MEDICAL STUDENTS TO GET GLIMPSE OF RURAL MEDICINE THROUGH UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

 

First-year students from the Florida State University College of Medicine will board buses this Friday and fan out across North Florida and southwest Georgia to explore rural health care.

 

The students will be taking part in the FSU College of Medicine Rural Learning Experience (RuLE), sponsored by the Florida Blue Foundation. The program is designed to increase students’ familiarity with rural health — and the possibility that they’ll practice rural medicine — by exposing them early to rural communities and health providers.  

 

This year, four buses will depart, each with 30 first-year medical students, first-year physician assistant students, several master’s students, plus faculty and staff from the College of Medicine. The destinations are:

 

  • Bainbridge, Georgia in Decatur County
  • Quincy in Gadsden County
  • Bristol in Liberty County and Blountstown in Calhoun County
  • Bonifay in Holmes County

 

In addition to visiting rural hospitals, health departments and medical and dental practices, students will meet and hear from primary-care physicians (including College of Medicine alumni), nurse practitioners, administrators, community members and leaders, and second-year medical students who participated in the 2018 RuLE.

 

Bus trips will take place:

 

FRIDAY, MAY 31

 

TO INTERVIEW PARTICIPANTS BEFORE THEY LEAVE TALLAHASSEE

Interview and photo opportunities:

7:45 A.M. (Participants bound for Bainbridge)

8:05 A.M. (Participants bound for Quincy)

8:10 A.M. (Participants bound for Bristol-Blountstown)

8:15 A.M. (Participants bound for Bonifay)

 

FSU COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

 

1115 W. CALL ST.

 

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.

 

(All buses expected to return around 3:45-5:30 p.m.)

 

Directions: From downtown, travel west on Tennessee Street and turn left on Stadium Drive. The College of Medicine is at Stadium and Call Street. Press parking will be available by RSVP.

 

TO INTERVIEW PARTICIPANTS IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES

Join the groups between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in any of the towns listed above. Call or text a trip coordinator in the town of your choice. Here is the contact information:

 

BAINBRIDGE: Melanie Carlson, (850) 688-3270

QUINCY: Susan LaJoie, (850) 294-8171

BRISTOL-BLOUNTSTOWN: Brigitta Nuccio, (850) 693-0789

BONIFAY: Terri Johnson, (850) 544-0022

 

Visit https://med.fsu.edu/ruralhealth/home for more on the rural health programs.

 

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