Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health career pathways
Supporting Older-Adult Behavioral Health: Building the First State Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging
Describes the establishment of the Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging which seeks to increase access to behavioral health services for older adults with mental illness and substance use disorders in Oregon through translational research, workforce development, and policy innovation. Highlights national initiatives related to behavioral health and aging. Offers guidance to other states interested in a similar model. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Walter D. Dawson, Allyson Stodola, Paula Carder, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(9)
Date: 09/2025
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Describes the establishment of the Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging which seeks to increase access to behavioral health services for older adults with mental illness and substance use disorders in Oregon through translational research, workforce development, and policy innovation. Highlights national initiatives related to behavioral health and aging. Offers guidance to other states interested in a similar model. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Walter D. Dawson, Allyson Stodola, Paula Carder, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(9)
Date: 09/2025
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Description of a Collaborative Rural Dental Scholar Program
Discusses a series of initiatives to increase Alabama's rural dental workforce through a partnership between The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry and The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences. Describes the interventions designed to get rural students interested and participating in oral health training. Details a summer program for high school students, a pathway program for post-grads, and scholarships for participating students.
Author(s): Carly Timmons McKenzie, Paul Drake Lavender
Citation: Journal of Dental Education, 89(9), 1356-1361
Date: 09/2025
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Discusses a series of initiatives to increase Alabama's rural dental workforce through a partnership between The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry and The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences. Describes the interventions designed to get rural students interested and participating in oral health training. Details a summer program for high school students, a pathway program for post-grads, and scholarships for participating students.
Author(s): Carly Timmons McKenzie, Paul Drake Lavender
Citation: Journal of Dental Education, 89(9), 1356-1361
Date: 09/2025
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"You Can't Do Anything by Yourself": Recruiting and Retaining Mental Health Professionals in Rural America
Discusses the challenges in recruiting and retaining mental health professionals in rural areas, as well as strategies and approaches to address the need. Features a Michigan mental health center CEO and state behavioral health organizations in Nebraska and South Carolina. Also includes insights from 3RNET, which focuses nationally on rural health recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses the challenges in recruiting and retaining mental health professionals in rural areas, as well as strategies and approaches to address the need. Features a Michigan mental health center CEO and state behavioral health organizations in Nebraska and South Carolina. Also includes insights from 3RNET, which focuses nationally on rural health recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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2024-2025 Alabama AHEC Annual Report
Reports on activities in 2024-2025, with sections on the Alabama AHEC Scholars Program, pathway programs, webinars, community health workers, community events, tax incentives, community-based training, and continuing education. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Alabama AHEC Network
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Reports on activities in 2024-2025, with sections on the Alabama AHEC Scholars Program, pathway programs, webinars, community health workers, community events, tax incentives, community-based training, and continuing education. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Alabama AHEC Network
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Rural Collaborative Opportunities For Occupational Learning (R-COOL-Health) Scrubs Camps and Scrubs Academy
Provides an overview of the North Dakota Rural Collaborative Opportunities for Occupational Learning (R-Cool-Health) Scrubs Camps and Scrubs Academy programs, including information on the number of students and rural communities involved with the programs. Describes the opportunities for students in grades 5 through 12 to learn about and understand a wide range of healthcare careers available in their rural communities.
Author(s): Nicole Threadgold
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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Provides an overview of the North Dakota Rural Collaborative Opportunities for Occupational Learning (R-Cool-Health) Scrubs Camps and Scrubs Academy programs, including information on the number of students and rural communities involved with the programs. Describes the opportunities for students in grades 5 through 12 to learn about and understand a wide range of healthcare careers available in their rural communities.
Author(s): Nicole Threadgold
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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Evaluating the Impact of Online Learning: Indiana University Mental and Behavioral Health Programs
Examines mental and behavioral health (MBH) workforce pipelines in Indiana with a focus on post-secondary online degree programs. Includes percentage of rural versus urban students in online programs as well as county-level percentages of students enrolled in an online MBH program.
Author(s): Mykayla Moore, Hannah Maxey
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Examines mental and behavioral health (MBH) workforce pipelines in Indiana with a focus on post-secondary online degree programs. Includes percentage of rural versus urban students in online programs as well as county-level percentages of students enrolled in an online MBH program.
Author(s): Mykayla Moore, Hannah Maxey
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Washington State's Anesthesia Workforce
Provides an overview of the anesthesia care workforce in Washington State as well as a literature review related to anesthesia workforce quality and gaps. Focuses on training, career pathways, scope of practice, licensure, and employment data. Examines county-level and rural versus urban data on healthcare sites, services, and healthcare professionals providing anesthesia care. Includes workforce analyses of a variety of healthcare professionals working in anesthesia, such as nurses, oral healthcare workers, physicians, and physician assistants.
Additional links: Anesthesiologist Assistants Occupational Brief, Anesthesiologists Occupational Brief, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Occupational Brief, Dental Anesthesia Assistants Occupational Brief, Dentists Occupational Brief, Physician Assistants Occupational Brief
Author(s): Paula M. Kett, Kyla F. Woodward, Samantha W. Pollack, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Provides an overview of the anesthesia care workforce in Washington State as well as a literature review related to anesthesia workforce quality and gaps. Focuses on training, career pathways, scope of practice, licensure, and employment data. Examines county-level and rural versus urban data on healthcare sites, services, and healthcare professionals providing anesthesia care. Includes workforce analyses of a variety of healthcare professionals working in anesthesia, such as nurses, oral healthcare workers, physicians, and physician assistants.
Additional links: Anesthesiologist Assistants Occupational Brief, Anesthesiologists Occupational Brief, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Occupational Brief, Dental Anesthesia Assistants Occupational Brief, Dentists Occupational Brief, Physician Assistants Occupational Brief
Author(s): Paula M. Kett, Kyla F. Woodward, Samantha W. Pollack, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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The Making of a Physician: Pipeline Dwell Time, Knowledge Assessments, and Path to Licensure
An overview of the steps involved, as well as time invested and expense incurred, in physician education and licensure.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An overview of the steps involved, as well as time invested and expense incurred, in physician education and licensure.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Embracing the Inevitable: Succession Planning for Rural Healthcare Organizations
Explains the importance of succession planning for rural boards and CEOs. Shares a range of approaches, including written policies and mentorship, as well as offering insights from rural health leaders and resources to help begin the process of succession planning.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Explains the importance of succession planning for rural boards and CEOs. Shares a range of approaches, including written policies and mentorship, as well as offering insights from rural health leaders and resources to help begin the process of succession planning.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Advancing Health Equity through Primary Care Policy: Priorities and Recommendations for California
Provides policy recommendations to improve access to primary care and improve health equity in California, summarizing perspectives and conclusions from policy, primary care, and health equity experts who participated in the 2023 Summit on Primary Care Policy to Advance Health Equity. Covers topics including engagement with community organizations, workforce development, access to care, data sharing, payment, and accountability. Discusses people who live in rural areas and other underserved populations throughout.
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Rebeckah Muratore, Alexandra Ament, Deliya Wesley, Katie Morrison Lee
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Provides policy recommendations to improve access to primary care and improve health equity in California, summarizing perspectives and conclusions from policy, primary care, and health equity experts who participated in the 2023 Summit on Primary Care Policy to Advance Health Equity. Covers topics including engagement with community organizations, workforce development, access to care, data sharing, payment, and accountability. Discusses people who live in rural areas and other underserved populations throughout.
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Rebeckah Muratore, Alexandra Ament, Deliya Wesley, Katie Morrison Lee
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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