Investing in Our Future: Empowering Rural Healthcare Leaders in Kentucky

Everyone deserves quality health care, no matter where they live. Yet, access to care remains a significant challenge for many rural and underserved communities across Kentucky. These communities often face a severe shortage of healthcare providers. Kentucky reported over 13,000 unfilled healthcare positions, with rural areas bearing the brunt of this crisis.

To address these disparities, Anthem Medicaid in Kentucky launched the Anthem Rural Medicine Scholarship program in 2021. These scholarships are a lifeline, providing much-needed financial assistance for students committed to practicing in underserved areas. Getting more clinicians into these areas means more people have access to care, improving their health outcomes, and reducing disparities – all core to our mission at Anthem.

Since its launch, we've awarded nearly $1 million in scholarships and grants alongside incredible partners, including Eastern Kentucky University, Hazard Community & Technical College, Murray State University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University, and the University of Pikeville’s Tanner College of Dental Medicine. We are immensely grateful for their unwavering support and dedication to educating future healthcare leaders.

While these scholarships are a long-term investment, we can already see their impact on students like Caitlin Jones. A recent University of Louisville School of Medicine graduate and Anthem Rural Medicine Scholarship recipient, Caitlan plans to practice near her hometown of Madisonville in Western Kentucky, where healthcare professionals are desperately needed. This month, she begins her residency training at the UofL Owensboro Family Medicine Residency Program.

We’re thrilled that our scholarship helped ease her path to rural medicine by reducing financial barriers so she can focus on her training. Here's to Caitlin and all our future healthcare leaders in Kentucky, and the profound impact they will make in their communities for years to come.

Read Caitlin’s story here: Growing on her roots | UofL News