Central Louisiana AHEC Rural Scholars Program

The Rural Scholars program was developed through a partnership between the LSU Health-Shreveport Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program Office, Central LA AHEC, and Bayou North AHEC. The program is designed to assist students from small towns in the AHECs’ service areas in applying to medical school. Rural Louisiana is faced with the challenge of getting adequate medical care to residents, many of who are isolated by poverty and location. Studies conclude that the answer to the rural health care gap is increasing the number of primary care doctors, more specifically family doctors. One way to address the need is to identify more small-town students who dream of returning home to practice medicine. The program was designed with this goal in mind.

The AHEC Rural Scholars Program is designed to equip and encourage talented, high-achieving pre-med students from rural communities to make applications to LSU Health-Shreveport and ultimately become primary care physicians in rural Louisiana. The newly selected Rural Scholars will be given the opportunity to gain insight into the arduous process of applying to medical school. In the upcoming 2 years, students will have the opportunity to:

interact with primary care physicians
receive financial aid information
learn medical school interview techniques and participate in mock interviews with a real admissions team
learn the techniques of basic skills assessment, first aid, and basic life support
gain knowledge about rural community-based healthcare
interact with the Dean of Admissions and many others
obtain answers to questions about the medical school admissions criteria and process, the medical school admissions test (MCAT), and the medical school interview.
receive personalized resume and personal statements critiques
receive discounted MCAT materials/ course
and much more!

Eligibility includes:

Applicant must be from a rural Louisiana town
Applicant must have a minimum 3.4 cumulative college GPA (copy of college transcript is required)
Applicant must have a minimum 3.4 cumulative science GPA
Applicant must have a minimum 24 composite ACT score (copy of ACT score is required)
Complete all sections in the application including Participation Agreement, Agreement of Photo Release, and Photo of applicant.

Dates for the fall retreat are To Be Announced.

Applications are due to CLAHEC by August 15, 2024. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to me via email at nicole@clahec.org or phone at 318-443-2855.

Student Name*

First NameLast Name

Home Parish:*

Student Cell Phone Number:*

Student Email (not a school email):*

Physical Address:*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Mailing Address:*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Date of Birth:*

Gender:*

MaleFemale

Ethnicity:*

Which Central LA AHEC Program have you completed while in high school? (Check all that apply):*

College Name:*

College Entry Date and Anticipated Graduation Date:*

Entry DateAnticipated Graduation Date

College Major:*

College Minor (if applicable):*

Current College Clasification:*

FreshmanSophomoreJuniorSenior

Current College GPA:*

What college Honors courses have you taken? List below: *

College Activities/Hobbies and Honors? List below: *

High School ACT Score:*

High School Attended and Graduation Year:*

High School NameGraduation Year

Class Rank and High School GPA:*

Class RankHigh School GPA

Advanced Placement, DE or CLEP Credit Received:*

Please indicate the institution, course, grade received for each course/credit.

Major High School and Community Activities, Honors:*

Father/Guardian Name:

First NameLast Name

Father/Guardian's Address:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Father/Guardian Occupation:

Father/Guardian Education/College(s):

Father/Guardian Highest Degree:

Mother/Guardian Name:

First NameLast Name

Mother/Guardian's Address:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Mother/Guardian Occupation:

Mother/Guardian Education/College(s):

Mother/Guardian Highest Degree:

Medical Related Activities (i.e. shadowing, EMT, scribe, volunteering)*

Please indicate with asterisks those activities to which you devoted the most time or which you consider most significant. Be sure to list previous AHEC health careers programs.

Describe in your own words the development of your interest in medicine and becoming a physician. *

Please Upload an Updated Headshot:*

Below you will find a Participation Agreement PDF. Download the file, fill it out, and submit below.

Below you will find a Agreement of Photo Release PDF. Download the file, fill it out, and submit below.

Participation Agreement and Agreement of Photo Release Upload*

ACT Upload*

College Transcript Upload*

Signature:*

Central Louisiana AHEC Rural Scholars Program

Student Applicant Information

College Academic Information

High School Academic Information

Family Information:

Additional Information