{"id":54045,"date":"2026-09-21T11:41:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T16:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/pipercenter\/?page_id=54045"},"modified":"2026-10-12T13:24:45","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T18:24:45","slug":"experiential-learning-in-rural-medicine-elrm-rpap-scholars-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/pipercenter\/experiential-learning-in-rural-medicine-elrm-rpap-scholars-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Experiential Learning in Rural Medicine (ELRM): RPAP Scholars Program"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Rural Physician Shadowing program is a collaboration between the University of Minnesota Rural Physician Associate Program, St. Olaf College and the University of St. Thomas to provide undergraduate students exposure to rural\u00a0medicine.<\/p>\n

The Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) is a nine-month, community-based educational experience for University of Minnesota third-year medical students who live and train in rural communities across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. RPAP students experience hands-on learning as they care for patients of all ages.<\/span><\/p>\n

Program Duration: <\/b>Occurs annually over 4 weeks during J-Term (January). First cohort in January 2027.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t

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Program Details<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
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The <\/span>RPAP Undergraduate Shadowing Program<\/b> is a collaborative initiative designed to provide pre-medical and pre-physician assistant students with a transformative opportunity to gain shadowing experience in a clinical setting. By leveraging the University of Minnesota\u2019s established <\/span>Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP)<\/b> network, (20 total) sophomore,\u00a0 junior students (seniors interested in Rural health are also welcome to apply). (10 from St. Olaf College and 10 from the University of St. Thomas) will spend a dedicated January Term (J-Term) within a RPAP clinical site. (Note: initial cohort could be smaller.)<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to providing needed shadowing opportunities for pre-health students in their sophomore, junior, and senior year, this program would also address the critical deficit of rural healthcare providers by fostering early professional interest in rural medicine. Because students will also shadow a third-year medical student, students will also have the opportunity to develop insight into the experience of a medical student.<\/span><\/p>\n

Selected students will spend 4 weeks over J-term embedded at a RPAP clinical site outside of the Metro area. Student participants in this program will 1) shadow an RPAP provider and may also shadow a third-year medical student in the RPAP Program, 2) participate in a cohort-based curriculum to enable reflection and meaning-making of the experience, and 3) engage with the local community through a healthcare-related project.<\/span><\/p>\n