Policy, practice and rural care

Auburn Rural Medicine Program students meet with members of Alabama’s congressional delegation during their visit to Washington, D.C.

Students in Auburn University’s Rural Medicine Program gather during their visit to Washington, D.C., where they attended the National Rural Health Association’s Rural Health Policy Institute.

In rural communities, access to health care often depends on decisions made far from the clinics and hospitals that serve them. 

Each February, those decisions become part of the classroom for students in Auburn University’s Rural Medicine Program (RMP). In Washington, D.C., they attend the Rural Health Policy Institute hosted by the National Rural Health Association, where they see firsthand how national policy decisions shape the realities of rural medicine. The trip is coordinated through the COSAM Associate Dean for Academic Affairs’ Office. 

The annual institute brings together students, physicians and health leaders from across the country to discuss the challenges facing rural communities. Through policy briefings and small group discussions, participants explore topics such as workforce shortages and the financial pressures facing rural hospitals. 

For Auburn students, the experience offers a rare chance to watch those conversations unfold where policy is made. 

“The Rural Health Policy Institute helps students see the broader landscape of health care and get a behind-the-scenes look at the policymaking that will shape their responsibilities later in practice,” said Tim Littmann, RMP’s medical co-director. 

The trip often reshapes how students think about their future roles as physicians. For Nathaniel Smith, an RMP student pursuing a master’s degree at Auburn, the experience underscored how closely medicine and policy are connected. 

“The conference helped me see how important it is to advocate for patients not just in the clinic, but on Capitol Hill,” Smith said. “Hearing from policymakers and meeting with representatives made me realize that physicians have a responsibility to stay engaged in the policies that shape rural health care.” 

Beyond the conference sessions, Auburn students also step directly into the policymaking process. During the trip, they join students from the University of Alabama’s Rural Health Scholars Program for meetings with members of Alabama’s congressional delegation. 

This year, students met with Tommy Tuberville, Mike Rogers and Robert Aderholt to discuss the realities of rural medicine in their home communities. In those conversations, students share firsthand experiences growing up in rural Alabama and describe the challenges facing the health systems they hope to serve. 

“Now that I have seen that our voices can truly have an impact on our state’s legislature, I am even more inspired to practice in a small community, observe the ways in which health care can improve in rural areas, and take action in initiating the changes that I want to see in my town,” said senior Alyssa Carlota. 

Many of the policy discussions during the institute center on the economic realities that shape rural health care. For students planning careers in small communities, those issues feel immediate. 

“Without adequate reimbursement, it becomes very difficult for physicians to practice in rural communities,” said graduate student Emily Ingle. “Hearing national leaders discuss these challenges reinforced how important it is for providers to advocate for the communities they serve.” 

Rural Medicine Program students visit the National Mall during their trip to Washington, D.C., where they met with policymakers and health leaders.

Students in Auburn’s Rural Medicine Program explore Washington, D.C., while attending policy discussions focused on challenges facing rural health care.

Conversations like these help students see how policy decisions made in Washington ripple outward to hospitals and clinics across rural America. 

Littmann added that the Rural Health Policy Institute helps students understand that practicing medicine in rural communities involves more than clinical training. It also requires understanding the policies that determine whether hospitals remain open, physicians are available and patients can access care close to home.  

“These students are preparing to serve towns where a hospital or clinic may be the only source of care for miles,” Littmann said. “Seeing how policy decisions affect those systems helps them understand the responsibility they will carry as future physicians.” 

The trip offers students more than a lesson in health policy. It shows them the broader landscape surrounding rural medicine and the role they may one day play in shaping it.