Statewide rural physicians program selects MC students for prestigious scholarship opportunity

Mississippi College students Annaleigh Bain, left, and Ella Brown have each been awarded the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship.

A pair of Mississippi College junior students devoted to community service have been accepted into the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program.

Annaleigh Bain of Kosciusko, who is majoring in both Chemical Medical Sciences and Biology Medical Sciences, and Ella Brown of Brookhaven, who is seeking a Bachelor of Science in Biology, have each been awarded the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship.

The program identifies college sophomores and juniors who demonstrate the necessary commitment and academic achievement to become competent, well-trained rural primary care physicians in Mississippi. It offers undergraduate academic enrichment and a clinical experience in a rural setting.

Upon completing their residencies, MRPSP scholars must provide four years of service in clinic-based practice in an approved Mississippi community of 15,000 people or fewer located more than 20 miles from a medically served area.

“Our focus is providing primary care physicians for rural Mississippi,” said Tabora Cook, MRPSP executive senior director. “When these students enter medical school, they’ll be eligible for a $35,000 scholarship for up to four years. In return, they will commit to working in rural Mississippi equal to the amount of time they received the scholarship.

“This program gives us an opportunity to put into rural Mississippi some of the best and brightest young students we have. They’ll get a chance to receive mentorship, advisement and financial support as they enter medical school, and once they complete their educational journey, they’ll serve some of our most vulnerable residents throughout the state.”

Health-care has been a longtime passion for Bain, but it wasn’t until she enrolled at MC that she began to consider it her life’s calling.

“I began shadowing in the field of medicine, talking to physicians in my hometown, and volunteering at a hospital,” she said. “Through those experiences, I knew that I wanted to be a physician. Watching doctors pour into the lives of their patients and be so intentional was so remarkable. Volunteering and serving at the hospital became something that I looked forward to each week.

“I cannot see myself doing anything else in life, and each day, I strive to get closer to that goal.”

Bain is grateful to her professors who strive to help their students succeed in life.

“At MC, I am surrounded by people who want the best for me,” she said. “The professors have taught me so much in the few short years that I have been here, and I know that I will be well prepared for medical school. They never fail to help me when I don’t understand, and they push me to be the best that I can be.

“Whether it be a mock interview to help me prepare and calm my nerves, a question about a math problem, or a need for advice in general, I know that I can get help.”

Brown’s interest in healthcare began with her own health experiences as a child.

“As a patient, I often looked up to the physicians who cared for me,” she said. “Not only for their medical knowledge, but for the way they made me feel seen, heard and safe during uncertain times.”

Over time, she said her admiration turned into a deep desire to become that same source of comfort and care for others, especially in communities where access to health care can be limited.

“Being selected for the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship is an incredible honor and a meaningful step forward in my journey to becoming a doctor,” she said. “It’s encouraging to know that a program like this recognizes and supports students who are passionate about serving rural communities.”

She said Mississippi College has played a pivotal role in her academic and personal growth. The intense science curriculum challenged her and helped lay a strong foundation for her medical school journey.

“The faculty have been incredibly supportive at MC, offering guidance, mentorship, and encouragement that have made a lasting impact. Beyond academics, the Christian environment at MC helped shape my values and strengthened my desire to serve others through a career in medicine.”

Upon completion of all medical school admissions requirements, MRPSP participants can use the scholarship to attend the School of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson or the William Carey College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg.

After finishing medical school, MRPSP scholars must enter a residency program in one of five primary care specialties: family medicine, general internal medicine, pediatrics, medicine-pediatrics, or obstetrics/gynecology. A select number of spots are available in psychiatry.

Created in 2007, the MRPSP was formed to increase the number of physicians serving the healthcare needs of Mississippians in rural areas. For more information about the program, click here.