Excellence. Integrity. Leadership. Loyalty. Respect. Selfless Service. If you are an Aggie, you recognize these as core values of Texas A&M University. If you are a Masonite, you recognize these as long-standing values that make Mason, Texas one of the most unique places to live on Earth. Welcome to the Rural Health Initiative where Texas A&M University College of Medicine (TAMU COM) and Mason County unite!
At the beginning of summer, Curtis Donaldson, member of the TAMU COM Rural Health Initiative Advisory Board, notified representatives of Mason County, Mason ISD, and Frontera Healthcare Network that Mason County was a contender for a pilot program for the Rural Health Initiative. On June 30th, a team of administrators and doctors from TAMU COM traveled to Mason in order to assess local facilities and interest. (See Kaleigh Walker’s article in the July 14 edition of Mason News) Mason County has been selected, along with Fayette County and Bee County, as a location for the pilot program.
On July 29th, members of the Mason Co - Rural Health Advisory Team (RHAT) travelled to Bryan/College Station to tour the College of Medicine facilities and to learn more about the Rural Health Initiative. TAMU COM hosted a fascinating tour which included entry into the Gross Anatomy Lab, Medical Diagnostic Lab, and Clinical Learning Resource Center. These facilities allow “students to learn and refine fundamental and clinical skills in a controlled, simulated health care environment. Highly specialized instructional technology is utilized, including computer-programmed full-body manikins with the capacity to realistically simulate a range of physiological states and responses.” (https://health.tamu.edu/clrc/index.html)
While the Mason team was highly impressed with COM’s state-of-the-art medical facilities, they were even more impressed with the incredible opportunities that this initiative will bring to Mason! On the Frontera Clinic side of the initiative, TAMU COM students will have the option to live in Mason for 2-4 weeks as they work alongside Dr. Horne. The intent...the hope...is that these young medical students will observe and experience the value of being a rural medical professional. The Rural Health Initiative covers all disciplines, for example, family medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and even specialized areas such as radiology or cardiology. It aims to eliminate health disparities throughout Texas by bringing health care where it is needed most - Rural Populations! Mason’s Frontera Clinic is expecting to receive their first TAMU COM student soon after October 4th.
On the Mason ISD side of the initiative, students K-12 will be given opportunities to learn from and work with TAMU COM students and faculty. Through mentoring opportunities, virtual learning labs, in-person local mini-med schools, and TAMU COM hosted camps, Mason Punchers and Cowgirls will gain the exposure needed to shape a medical career choice. To boot, the Rural Health Initiative offers early assurance programs giving high school seniors who strongly desire a medical career the opportunity to apply for and accept a seat in the TAMU COM program. (To give perspective, there were 6500 applicants to the TAMU COM program in 2021 and only 200 were accepted.)
The goal of the Rural Health Initiative is to curtail the decline of healthcare in rural populations. With shared vision and value, TAMU COM and Mason County will strive to accomplish this mission.
