BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – Anyone looking to address the persistent rural healthcare challenges in our hometowns and beyond must confront three fundamental obstacles: a critical shortage of medical facilities, the daunting distances patients must travel to reach care, and a lack of available medical personnel.
The disparities are stark. According to data from the Economic Research Service within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are only five doctors for every 10,000 rural Americans, compared to eight doctors for every 10,000 residents in urban areas.
In Southwest Virginia, a medical school is actively working to shift those numbers. The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) in Blacksburg has a clear, targeted mission: recruit medical students who want to practice in rural areas, train them, and encourage them to stay and serve the communities that need them most.
Finding Her Way Back Home
Before 2020, Nikki Keith admitted she found the wide-open spaces of her rural upbringing somewhat isolating…