The Rural Health Experience (RHE) program is a 3–5-day job shadowing opportunity for health professions students to observe rural healthcare providers and their communities in healthcare organizations throughout Illinois.
What to expect as an RHE student:
- Shadowing experiences in multiple hospital departments including but not limited to EMT/ER, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, social work and behavioral health, public health, and laboratory and technical specialists
- Shadowing experiences within the local community at clinics and/or health departments
- Meetings with administration and observations of inter-professional team meetings, when available
- The experience is scheduled between 3 – 5 days. The schedule will be dependent on staff availability at the healthcare organizations in the community
Program objectives for RHE students:
- Learn about the social and health characteristics, needs, and resources of a specific rural Illinois community
- Understand the roles and responsibilities of different healthcare providers in a rural community
- Reflect on a future career as a healthcare provider in a rural community and potential interest in this location as a future career location
The experience:
Limited meals are provided to RHE students. If available, a student will be matched to a site within commuting distance to their hometown or current residence. Host sites will arrange housing otherwise as needed. Time in the evenings will be available for students to explore the community. Students must have their own reliable transportation while on site.
RHE host sites are located throughout the state. Students will have the opportunity to rank their site locations on the RHE application. Once matched to a site, students will work with a representative from the host site to schedule the dates of their RHE.
The Rural Health Experience is available year-round based on student and hospital availability, especially during winter and spring breaks. It takes at least four to eight weeks to plan a RHE. Please keep this time frame in mind when applying for the program and providing your availability.
The application also requires a well-written personal statement and current resume. Only fully completed applications that include a personal statement and resume will be reviewed.
