Alabama has a shortage of rural healthcare providers, and Blue Cross wants to help.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Health:

There is a shortage of primary care providers in 61 out of 67 Alabama counties.

There are 4.1 primary care physicians per 10,000 people in Alabama's rural counties compared to 7.9 in urban areas. 

Our Medical School Scholarship Program is an investment in primary care designed to improve access to healthcare statewide. Since 2019, we have awarded $11 million in medical school scholarships.

Starting in 2024, we are awarding an additional $10 million in medical school scholarships over a five-year period to medical schools and students in Alabama:

• $5 million for distribution to the four primary care medical schools in Alabama:
  • Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM)
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine
  • University of South Alabama (USA) College of Medicine
  • Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)
• $5 million for students who agree to:
  • Complete a residency in family medicine, internal medicine, OB-GYN, pediatrics or psychiatry at a participating college, and
  • Practice for three years in an underserved county in Alabama.

Scholarship recipients are chosen by a review committee comprised of representatives from each participating medical school. 

Additionally, Blue Cross is committing more than $3 million to support other healthcare fields:

• $1.1 million for registered nurse scholarships at these schools:
  • University of West Alabama
  • Calhoun Community College 
  • Jefferson State Community College
  • Coastal Alabama Community College
• $1 million for certified nurse midwives scholarships at UAB’s MSN Nurse Midwifery Pathway
• $1 million for dental scholarships at UAB

Here are some of the students who have already received scholarships. View this video to hear their stories.