R/UOP attracts record number of med students, pilots experiences for dental students

The Rural Underserved Opportunities Program (R/UOP) continues to be popular, with a record 128 first-year medical students applying this year. Area Health Education Center (AHEC) placement coordinators have matched 110 students to sites in the WWAMI states: 25 students in Western Washington; 23 in Eastern Washington; 26 in Montana; 20 in Idaho; 9 in Wyoming; and 7 in Alaska.

Sixty-one medical students will combine an Independent Investigative Inquiry with their R/UOP experience. Four students are developing community medicine projects.

This summer R/UOP is working with the UW School of Dentistry to pilot a Dental R/UOP experience. Six dental students will be placed in rural or urban underserved communities throughout the WWAMI states. It is hoped that some medical and dental R/UOP students will be able to share clinical and community experiences in the same town.

For more information, contact Gina Cummings in the Department of Family Medicine, 206-543-9425; gina14@u.washington.edu