Students Intern During Rural Health Fellowships
The Rural Health Fellowships program selected two Buena Vista University students for its January 2015 scholars program, which includes a three-week internship and a $1,000 stipend.
The Rural Health Fellowships program selected two Buena Vista University students for its January 2015 scholars program, which includes a three-week internship and a $1,000 stipend.
The students selected for the Rural Health Fellowships award were Bonnie Keller, a senior biology major from Sioux City who is interested in occupational therapy, and Derek Schwartz, a senior biology major from Ankeny who is looking to pursue dentistry.
The Rural Health Fellowships program is funded through BVU's recent Stine Endowment and is designed to provide an internship experience to students interested in a health profession in a rural setting. The internships take place with local health care providers in Storm Lake, so the students are able to stay on campus and work with a practitioner in the immediate area or another nearby rural community.
The Rural Health Fellowships program replaces BVU's previous Rural Dentistry Internship program (URDI) and expands the internship offerings beyond only pre-dental students to include those who are interested in chiropractic, physician's assistant, physical therapy and occupational therapy.
"The Rural Health Fellowship is an opportunity to award students who are interested in health care careers outside of medicine," says Dr. Kristy McClellan, assistant professor of biology and faculty advisor for the program. "The BVU biology faculty work to provide a unique internship experience that connects students with local practitioners in their desired career. Students work with practitioners from rural communities to gain the support and information they need to be successful. We are excited about this new program and hope to see it grow in the future."