Welcome
to the Virginia Rural Health Resource Center Student Connection! |
Click here for the Student Chapter at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
|
WHAT
IS THE VRHA STUDENT CONNECTION?
MISSION
STATEMENT
What's
Different About Rural Health Care?
OBJECTIVES
SHORT
TERM GOALS
LONG
TERM GOALS
Student
Connection Membership Benefits
Who
Should Join?
How
Do I Join?
Contact VRHA
|
|
| WHAT
IS THE VRHA STUDENT CONNECTION? |
The Virginia Rural Health Association
Student Connection is an official student organization and has the full
support of the National Rural Health Association. The organization seeks
to raise a more comprehensive awareness of the issues affecting rural
health.
|
|
| MISSION
STATEMENT |
| The Virginia Rural Health Association Student Connection
is a member-driven organization whose mission is to improve the health
of rural Virginians and populations through appropriate and equitable health
care services as well as to assist its members in providing leadership
on rural issues through advocacy, communications, education, and research. |
 |
| What's
Different About Rural Health? |
 Only
about ten percent of physicians practice in rural America despite the
fact that twenty-five percent of the
population lives in these areas
 Rural
residents are less likely to have employer provided health care coverage
Rural
residents are nearly twice as likely to die from unintentional injuries
Rural
residents tend to be poorer
|
There are 2,157 Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA’s) in rural and frontier areas of all states and Territories compared to 910 in urban areas
Abuse of alcohol and use of smokeless tobacco is a significant problem among rural youth
Anywhere from 57-90% of first responders in rural areas are volunteers
There are 60 dentists per 100,000 population in urban areas versus 40 per 100,000 in rural areas |
| OBJECTIVES |
- To provide
a network for students interested in relevant rural health issues
- To raise awareness of the disciplines involved within rural health provision,
policy, and research
- To provide a forum for students to express their ideas, concerns, and
experiences in dealing with rural health issues
- To provide collaborative assistance to student members on topics such
as research article writing skills, grant writing skills, and career development
|
|
| SHORT
TERM GOALS |
- Create
chapters at the local level to raise local awareness and plan activities
in rural areas unique to each school
- Establish partnerships with other Virginia health disciplines, local
health departments, rural organizations and rural
practitioners
- Generate funding opportunities
|
| LONG
TERM GOALS |
 Plan
site visits to rural areas
Address shortage of health care providers in rural areas
Organize Student Conferences
Develop education projects to include:
Rural health screening
and vaccinations
Focus on elderly, youth and minority populations
Health fair participation |
| Student
Connection Membership Benefits |
 Assistance
in establishing a local VRHA Student Chapter
Membership
in Virginia Rural Health Association
Annual subscription
to the VRHA Member Update, the VRHA’s
weekly e-newsletter
Annual subscription
to Virginia Rural Health News, a bi-annual print newsletter
Input into VRHA through committee activities
Access to a
network of other rural health community leaders and advocates
Unique scholarship
opportunities |
|
| Who Should
Join? |
Any student who has an interest in rural health provision, policy or
research. Includes (but is not limited to) students in: |
- Public Health
- Health Administration
- Social Work
|
- Pharmacy
- Allied Health Professions
- Agriculture
|
- Medicine
- Nursing
- Statistics
|
- Dentistry
- Economics
- Psychology
|
| How
Do I Join? |
| Student membership is only $10 per year. Click here to download
the membership form. |
|
VHRA
will also assist students in forming a Student Chapter at their school. Contact
VRHA if your school has an interest in developing a Student Chapter.
Download the Student Connection Brochure |
 |
Virginia Rural Health Association
The leading voice for rural health in Virginia
|
2265 Kraft Drive  Blacksburg Virginia 24060
Ph: 540-231-7923 Fax: 540-231-5338
www.vrha.org
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