What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:30am - 5pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 5pm

https://www.suu.edu/ahec/rural-scholars.html

SUU Utah Health Scholars Program, 351 W University Drive, SCI 105, Cedar City, UT (2025)

07/21/2025

Mark your calendars! 🗓️

We officially have dates for our 25-26 Cultural Immersion Trips to the Dominican Republic. These trips are ideal for students and professionals interested in healthcare, nursing, medicine, public health, or service-based learning. Whether you are exploring a future in the health sciences or looking for an impactful way to serve abroad, the DR Cultural Immersion Trip offers a powerful blend of learning, connection, and service. 🌴

Spots are limited and payment is due at the time of registration. To learn more and sign up, please visit bit.ly/DRUHS

07/16/2025

Say hello to an outstanding alum, Nathan Mitchell, who began his academic journey with a bachelor’s degree in human nutrition from Southern Utah University. Though his original plan was to attend PA school, an experience in the NICU with his son—who required emergency respiratory care—shifted his path as a member of our Utah Health Scholar program. Witnessing the calm expertise of a respiratory therapist during that life-changing moment inspired Nathan to pursue respiratory care himself.

Nathan’s commitment to healthcare was apparent as a member of the UHS program, where he not only gained valuable exposure to the medical field, but also volunteered to serve the local area, and learned the importance of every single role in patient care. The foundation that UHS provided helped shape him into the leader he is today, as he continues serving people in the St. George community where he grew up.

Nathan was part of the respiratory therapy program at Utah Tech and earned a Master of Science in Respiratory Care from Boise State University, where he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. Now working at St. George Regional Hospital, Nathan has built a remarkable career with over 15,000 hours of experience in adult and neonatal intensive care. In addition, he worked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, has performed dozens of intubations and arterial lines, and even spent time working with Life Flight—a highlight of his professional journey.

Outside of work, Nathan is an adventurer at heart. He enjoys rock climbing, canyoneering, and diving into challenging tabletop board games. His advice to current students is grounded in his own experience:

"Don’t let short-term failure lead to long-term disappointment. These programs are competitive, so make yourself competitive. Find ways to work in a field that you love, and take the time to gain experience while constantly working to advance your education. Opportunities in the form of other careers or future acceptances will be your reward for picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and getting back to work."

07/11/2025

Meet Dr. Ciara Robb, a dedicated Southern Utah University alum whose journey into medicine was inspired by early exposure to rural healthcare and its needs. After earning her biology degree at Southern Utah University, she went on to complete her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Rocky Vista University in Southern Utah. Originally from Payson, Utah, Dr. Robb is now preparing to begin her Family Medicine residency at Idaho State University.

Throughout her academic path, Dr. Robb sought out unique opportunities that shaped her vision for the future—particularly her involvement in our Utah Health Scholars (UHS) cultural immersion trips to Nepal and the Dominican Republic, as well as her training in rural and wilderness medicine. Dr. Robb says that her experiences through the UHS program helped her explore a wide range of healthcare settings and gave her the clarity to choose a path that fit her goals. Not only that, but she has served as a program coordinator for UHS at SUU, ultimately helping students to find their paths in healthcare.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Robb enjoys backpacking, running, cooking, hunting, fishing, and has spent time volunteering at women's shelters. Her advice to current students? “Get started early and try not to waste time if possible. Make a choice on what you want to do and go for it!"

07/10/2025

Exciting news! Southern Utah University has been awarded a federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) totaling $1.35 million over three years to significantly expand the Utah Psychology Internship Consortium (UT-PIC). This groundbreaking initiative aims to recruit, train, and retain highly skilled behavioral health professionals dedicated to serving Utah's rural communities--areas facing critical shortages in mental health and substance use disorder care.

You can read more about the grant, the internship, and their impact here: https://www.suu.edu/news/2025/07/federal-grant-psychology.html #:~:text=CEDAR%20CITY%2C%20UT%20%2D%2D%20July,Consortium%20(UT%2DPIC).

06/30/2025

Meet Dr. Madison Day—Utah Health Scholars at SUU alum and owner of Day Dental in Millcreek, Utah! A graduate of Bingham High School in South Jordan, Dr. Day went on to earn her BS in Chemistry from Southern Utah University, her DDS from the University of Utah, and completed a General Practice Residency at the George E. Whalen VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

"Dr. Madison Day was a standout leader during her time with Utah Health Scholars at SUU—always stepping up, mentoring her peers, and setting a clear example of what it means to lead with purpose. It’s no surprise to see her continue that trajectory, now as a practicing dentist, business owner, and educator at the University of Utah. She’s making a difference at every level," says Rita Osborn, Executive Director at the Utah Center for Rural Health.

Dr. Day's passion for dentistry started young—after dealing with lots of cavities, she was inspired by a dentist who treated her like an equal and sparked her curiosity. That early experience led to a lifelong goal of becoming a dentist herself, where she now gets to make an impact on others in her local community.

Dr. Day credits the UHS maymester application prep course as a game changer in her journey, helping her submit a standout, polished application. “It was a huge factor in getting into the dental schools I did,” she says.

Now running her own practice, Dr. Day encourages current students to take full advantage of the Utah Health Scholars program: “UHS is a program that a vast majority of undergrad students don’t get to be a part of--you have an advantage having a program that’s sole purpose is to correctly get you through undergrad and into the healthcare field as seamlessly as possible. You don’t have to try and do it all yourself!"

Outside of dentistry, she loves running, reading, and playing BUNCH with friends.
Follow her at or visit daydentaldds.com to learn more!

06/30/2025

Meet Dr. Madison Day—Utah Health Scholars at SUU alum and owner of Day Dental in Millcreek, Utah! A graduate of Bingham High School in South Jordan, Madison went on to earn her BS in Chemistry from Southern Utah University, her DDS from the University of Utah, and completed a General Practice Residency at the George E. Whalen VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

"Dr. Madison Day was a standout leader during her time with Utah Health Scholars at SUU—always stepping up, mentoring her peers, and setting a clear example of what it means to lead with purpose. It’s no surprise to see her continue that trajectory, now as a practicing dentist, business owner, and educator at the University of Utah. She’s making a difference at every level," says Rita Osborn, Executive Director at the Utah Center for Rural Health.

Dr. Day's passion for dentistry started young—after dealing with lots of cavities, she was inspired by a dentist who treated her like an equal and sparked her curiosity. That early experience led to a lifelong goal of becoming a dentist herself, where she now gets to make an impact on others in her local community.

Dr. Day credits the UHS maymester application prep course as a game changer in her journey, helping her submit a standout, polished application. “It was a huge factor in getting into the dental schools I did,” she says.

Now running her own practice, Dr. Day encourages current students to take full advantage of the Utah Health Scholars program: “UHS is a program that a vast majority of undergrad students don’t get to be a part of--you have an advantage having a program that’s sole purpose is to correctly get you through undergrad and into the healthcare field as seamlessly as possible. You don’t have to try and do it all yourself!"

Outside of dentistry, she loves running, reading, and playing BUNCH with friends.
Follow her at or visit daydentaldds.com to learn more!

06/20/2025

Our team had an incredible experience at the 2025 National AHEC Conference in Lexington, Kentucky! 🌍✨

Executive Director Rita Osborn, along with Program Managers Alexus Erickson and Franka Smit, represented the Utah Center for Rural Health/Southern Utah AHEC in a packed week of learning, networking, and collaboration with AHEC leaders from across the country.

From plenary sessions and poster presentations to impactful discussions on workforce development and rural health challenges, we came away inspired and re-energized to continue strengthening healthcare pipelines in our communities.

06/12/2025

🚨 We're Hiring! 🚨
The Utah Center for Rural Health at Southern Utah University is looking for a passionate, community-minded professional to join our team as a Community Projects Program Coordinator in Cedar City, Utah.

Salary: $42,000/year
Location: Cedar City, UT (with some travel required)
First Review Date: June 17, 2025

This full-time position plays a critical role in supporting health initiatives across rural Utah. From opioid reduction efforts to strengthening the nursing workforce and behavioral health support, this role directly impacts underserved communities.

We're looking for someone with:
✔️ A strong background in rural health or community-based work
✔️ Excellent communication and organizational skills
✔️ A passion for creating real, measurable change
✔️ Experience coordinating grants, contracts, or community health programs

This is a grant-funded position, so adaptability and initiative are key as program priorities may evolve.

If you—or someone you know—has experience in community engagement, rural health, or population health programming, we want to hear from you.

🔗 Apply here: bit.ly/ucrh-cppc

06/11/2025

Mark your calendars and get ready for a fantastic day at the Utah One Health Symposium! 🏜️ 🩺
Registration is OPEN, and you can sign up at https://bit.ly/43Za4PP.
We hope to see you there!

06/02/2025

An alumnus from our SUU Utah Health Scholars program was able to connect to jobs in his field, thanks to 3RNET! Looking to further your healthcare career? Register today at 3rnet.org.

06/02/2025

Happy Monday! We're here to bring some motivation and remind you that you're doing amazing! 💫

05/27/2025

Join us this week for a virtual presentation about all of the District 11 dental schools. If you're still deciding where you want to apply, this is not an event you'll want to miss! 🦷 📘

SUU Utah Health Scholars Program

07/21/2025

07/16/2025

07/11/2025

07/10/2025

06/30/2025

06/30/2025

06/20/2025

06/12/2025

06/11/2025

06/02/2025

06/02/2025

05/27/2025

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Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm