MARION — Healthcare and primary care physicians can be hard to find for Hoosiers outside of big cities, but Marian University is encouraging its medical students to think small with a new scholarship.
CareSource presented Marian University's College of Osteopathic Medicine with a $250,000 scholarship Thursday morning, specifically for rural healthcare programs.
"All people, regardless of where they live, deserve access to quality healthcare," said Marian University chancellor Kenith Britt.
The program will help facilities, such as Marion General Hospital in the city of Marion, which has regularly used Marian University students as vital assistants.
If the hospital and Marion Health suddenly vanished, Grant County residents would have to drive to Fort Wayne or Anderson for a large hospital.
Marian doctorate student Matt Turton has done rotations at rural hospitals across the state. He said the experience will stick with him long after he earns his degree.
"There are people who haven't seen a physician in 10 or 20 years," Turton said. "The big difference I've noticed is that in rural, underserved areas, since people have not been able to see physicians regularly, they're not super familiar on what is an issue where you need to see the doctor versus an issue where you have to tough it out."
Britt believes every Marian student should look beyond the book and serve in rural areas before they graduate.
"They are changing lives," Britt said. "They're not just changing lives of the residents they serve, but changing their own lives."
