UNCP Students Complete Rural Health Immersion Program

Eight scholars participated in a summer program designed to address healthcare workforce shortages in North Carolina.

Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Internships

A modest, weathered rural clinic building with a wooden porch sits in a landscape of rolling North Carolina hills. — Eight UNCP students completed a rural health immersion program this summer, a strategic effort to address healthcare workforce shortages in North Carolina's underserved counties. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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During summer 2026, eight UNCP students completed a seven-week Rural Interprofessional Longitudinal Scholars immersion program. The initiative aims to build a pipeline of health professionals for rural areas in southeastern North Carolina.

Why it matters

The program prepares students from various healthcare disciplines to work collaboratively in underserved regions. It serves as a vital intervention for North Carolina, where 91 of 100 counties face shortages in primary, dental, or behavioral healthcare.

The seven-week program hosted eight students across kinesiology, social work, and occupational therapy disciplines. These students are addressing the needs of North Carolina's 4.6 million rural residents.

The players

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

This educational institution located in Pembroke serves as one of the primary participants in the Rural Interprofessional Longitudinal Scholars program.

William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust

This foundation provides the financial support necessary to sustain the Rural Interprofessional Longitudinal Scholars program.

Nyiah Long

Nyiah Long is a student participant in the scholar program who is on track to graduate in the spring of 2027.

The details

Scholars shadowed health professionals and community health workers during home visits to understand rural healthcare delivery. Following the summer immersion, participants are required to meet virtually twice a month throughout the fall and spring semesters.

Eight students completed the seven-week immersion program in summer 2026.
Program scholars are meeting virtually twice a month throughout fall 2026 and spring 2027.
Student Nyiah Long is scheduled to graduate in spring 2027.

Market Landscape

This program reflects a broader trend of academic and philanthropic collaboration aimed at closing the healthcare access gap in rural economies. By integrating students into community health settings, the initiative directly confronts the regional professional shortages that constrain health service availability.

This program helps ensure that rural residents have better access to primary, dental, and behavioral health providers in their own communities. For students, this initiative provides hands-on career development that translates academic training into tangible professional experience.

The takeaway

Collaborative training programs are essential for building a robust healthcare workforce in underserved rural areas. Students interested in community health should look for longitudinal opportunities that offer sustained professional mentorship beyond traditional classroom learning.