"The Utah Health Scholars program was the first program I signed up for when I started SUU. I knew going into college that I wanted to be a dentist so I knew I needed to get into a program that could help shape my education and experiences to allow me to get into a dental program four years later. UHS started me off with pearls of advice that kept my classes on track to graduate on time; kept me on up on hours of service, dental shadowing, and leadership; and ultimately helped me to be in the third class at the University of Utah School of Dentistry. Service trips that UHS offered helped me to gain vital experience working with underserved populations, making me even more excited to go into dentistry. UHS service and leadership events made me a contender to compete with other applicants across the country. The application prep class that UHS offers was key in applying to dental school stress free and on time. Experienced counsellors gave me advice on which schools I should apply to based off of my wants and needs, experiences and leadership, grades and DAT score, and dental background. UHS helped me to get into one of the best dental schools in the nation which started a domino effect of getting into a prestigious general practice residency and ending with me teaching part time at the University of Utah School of Dentistry and working as a general dentist in a private practice. UHS was that first stepping stone that I needed to find my place and gain the momentum to where I am today." 

- Dr. Madison Day, DDS

“In Utah Health Scholars, I particularly enjoyed volunteering at the foot clinic in a homeless shelter in St. George. Here I was able to practice medical skills like obtaining blood pressures and performing foot exams, all while interacting with the people living there. I admire the physicians that donate their time and their example influenced the kind of provider I have tried to become in the community in which I live now.”

-Eric Hammer, PA

Raised in both rural and suburban Utah, Eric Hammer was drawn to serve in Gunnison by his wife’s rural roots. Through Utah Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Eric has participated in Rural Health Scholars in college, a graduate rotation in PA school, and is currently active in recruiting healthcare providers to rural places through 3RNet. In addition, he volunteers his time each semester to teach a course at the Snow College Rural Health Scholars program, allowing him to motivate college students to pursue rural practice as a PA.

While in college, he participated in several cultural immersion trips to Montezuma Creek, Utah and Shiprock, Arizona. Assisting in medical ways in these rural, underserved areas furthered his passion for his career as a PA Eric graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Southern Utah University and a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Salus University in Philadelphia.

Currently, he specializes in family practice and obstetrics/gynecology in rural Gunnison, as well as in the Emergency Room at the Gunnison Valley Hospital.

"As a pre-optometry student just over 10 yrs ago [UHS] proved to be very helpful in preparing me for application and acceptance into a graduate program. I had no idea what was needed and I had no connections until I joined the [Utah Health Scholars Program]. The program gave me great direction and connections with other students, professionals and other very helpful resources throughout the preparation and application process. It was a helpful program and I would recommend [UHS] to any student wanting to get into a doctorate program."

- Dr. Lance Higbee, O.D.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to jumpstart my career than UHS. I would go this same route into medicine again in a heartbeat.”

-Dr. Colten Bracken, MD

Dr. Bracken is a great example of an individual from a rural place (Enterprise, Utah) who, after an impressive medical school experience, returned to practice in rural Utah through Sevier Valley Hospital in Richfield. Actually, his first experience with this facility was through a rural graduate rotation with the Utah Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Yet this was not his initial experience with Utah AHEC, as he started in high school as a Health Career Exploration Camp participant, and then enrolled in the Utah Health Scholars Program at Southern Utah University (SUU).

Originally pursuing a career as a physician assistant at SUU, after speaking with Rita Osborn, Southern Utah AHEC Executive Director, he was inspired to switch and become a physician, where he could have a greater positive impact on rural health outcomes. When giving advice to other pre-medical students, Dr. Bracken indicates, “Do it! Don’t doubt your capacity to [go to medical school].”

Dr. Bracken completed his MD at he Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN followed by a family medicine residency in Provo, UT. He is passionate about encouraging rural providers to become integrated into their communities for the long term.

"Despite growing up and later training in the big cities, my heart’s been in the small town scene. This is the environment I knew I wanted to be a part of and where I wanted to raise my family.

As a physician, I love being an integral part of the community. I love the close-knit medical community and knowing practically all the other providers in town. I enjoy doing well-child checks and later seeing those kids at the park or at church. Or watching the university athletes perform after I’ve gotten to know them in the clinic. It’s fun running into a new mom in the grocery store and seeing her baby that I delivered a few months earlier. I love the variety of things that I get to see and treat. I enjoy the challenge of often having to figure things out on my own since I don’t always have the luxury of many specialists readily available or accessible to punt my patients along to. I appreciate knowing that I’m truly needed here and meeting the genuine need of the community.

I’ve already found and secured my dream job! This is largely thanks to 3RNet and the Southern Utah AHEC / Utah Center for Rural Health office. They were able to connect me with my future employer, facilitate and fund a rotation with them, and allow me the opportunity to explore and ultimately accept my future employment. I’ll be joining Cedar Ridge Family Medicine in Cedar City, Utah, practicing full-spectrum family medicine and obstetrics, and I couldn’t be more excited and pleased. Thank you!”

-Brian C. Johnson, MD

“I have enjoyed being a part of the Rural Health Scholars Program at SUU. It gave me many advantageous and unforgettable experiences as I learned about the many fields of medicine. This program allowed me to observe how interdependent the relationship between the health of animals, the health of people, and the health of the environment can be. Gaining that knowledge and receiving the encouragement to make connections has helped me become a better student, member of the community, and a more well-rounded individual. I will always be grateful for the time I had as a member of the Rural Health Scholars program. Thank you for all of the support and encouragement you have provided as I pursue my dream of becoming a veterinarian and improving the community around me.

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​The image is of the first hands-on experience I had of taking radiographs of a guinea pig. I thought this picture truly represented my passion for the field of veterinary medicine.

"My dream since I started at Utah Tech was to become a Physician Assistant. The road to PA school felt daunting at first, especially for someone like me with no family members in healthcare to help guide me. I found UHS on my very first day at UT and felt like I instantly had an army of people who would do anything to help me succeed. UHS gave me a how-to-guide on what I should be doing during undergrad to help me get into graduate school. I got my current job, countless volunteer opportunities, and gained immeasurable confidence that led me to create a student health and wellness club on campus because of the UHS program and UHS mentors. By following the UHS guide for healthcare students, I can proudly say that I was accepted to an incredible Physician Assistant program and will be able to successfully fulfill my dream of being a PA! I would have been extremely lost and unprepared for PA school had I not participated in the program. I would highly recommend the UHS program to anybody considering a career in healthcare."

“I first heard of UHS when it was RHS as a sophomore in college. I was in my last semester of nursing school and was looking to start pursuing further education via medical school. They took me in providing me with individualized support throughout the whole process. My peer mentors not only showed me how to succeed with the pre-medical process but provided me with resources to make the process easier. After a year of their support and meetings with different mentors and staff members I was asked to be a peer mentor myself. This experience not only prepared me to be a leader but also how to connect with others. Utah Health Scholars has prepared me for the medical school application process and hopefully with my goal of becoming a physician.

An enormous thank you to Kasey Shakespear, the many peer mentors, the UHS staff, and Rita Osborn for their constant guidance and support throughout my whole undergraduate career!”