Kassidy Kirkman, a fourth-year Pharmacy student, grew up in a small town in western Arkansas, where she saw firsthand the crucial role pharmacists play in rural communities. In May 2024, Kirkman will be among the first students to graduate having completed the Rural Health Certificate program offered by UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy.
The Rural Health Certificate promotes access to health care and pharmacy services in rural areas. It prepares future pharmacists with the expertise needed to practice in diverse rural health care settings by incorporating pharmacy curricula, experiential learning, and rural pharmacy partnerships.
The College of Pharmacy at UT Health Science Center launched the Rural Health Certificate program in 2020 to tackle the increasing demand for pharmacists in rural areas. As Tennessee is over 90% rural, it is crucial for its statewide academic health care university to address this issue and ensure access to health care in these communities. Under the leadership of Tyler Melton, PharmD, assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy, the certificate program is specifically tailored to address health disparities in rural areas and is designed to help future pharmacists like Kirkman tackle much-needed health care issues facing rural communities. The College of Pharmacy has 39 students in the certificate program, with the first nine graduating in May.
Approximately 46 million Americans, over 15% of the population, reside in rural areas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies conducted by the CDC reveal that individuals living in rural America experience more health care disparities than those in urban areas. Statistics indicate that rural Americans are at a higher risk of dying from illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and other ailments. Rural populations tend to be older than their urban counterparts. This and long travel distances to health care centers contribute to a health care crisis in rural America.
“In a rural health care environment, the pharmacist can impact these patients and really help motivate them to be more concerned about their health care,” says Kirkman. “Pharmacists see patients quite frequently, which allows us to build a personal connection with them compared to just seeing them once or twice a year during a visit. This puts us in a perfect position to influence our patients, keep them on track, hold them accountable for their needs, and follow up with any issues they may have. This is especially important in areas with limited health care access, such as rural communities.”
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