Grant from the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation to Support Expansion of College’s Rural Health and Primary Care Initiatives

The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation has awarded the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix a generous grant to be distributed over four years, paving the way for exciting strategic initiatives in rural health and primary care.

Currently, Arizona is facing a severe shortage of primary care providers; and, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 70% of communities designated as primary medical Health Professional Shortage Areas are in rural communities.

Katie Brite, MD, associate dean of Clinical and Competency-Based Education, is excited about what the grant will help achieve. “The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation grant will supplement and add to existing support from the UArizona and Arizona Health Education Centers that has allowed us to make tremendous progress to date; and it will help achieve our ‘next level’ goals,” she explained.

Those “next level” goals include:

• The development of a Center for Advocacy and Curriculum Toward Underserved Rural Service (CACTUS) through the Western Rural Education Network (WREN), which will create a strategic approach to the health care shortage in rural areas in the state.
• The Halle Medical Scholars, a cohort of elite students who will benefit from the services supported by CACTUS WREN, as well as from a community of scholars and mentors.
• Expand the existing Rural Health Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) and residency programs in rural areas.
• An accelerated, three-year medical school curriculum for the scholars and any other students interested in pursuing rural health or primary care practice.

The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation was impressed by the college’s determination to provide greater access to care for all Arizonans.

Alongside Dr. Brite, Sharry Veres, MD, chair of the college’s Department of Family, Community and Preventive Medicine, and Jonathan Cartsonis, MD, director of the college’s Rural Health Professions Program, spearheaded the application process and developed the programs that the funding will help make a reality.

Dr. Cartsonis, who has long championed the college’s rural health endeavors, sees the expansion as a win for both medical students and for the faculty in the current LIC sites. “They love it. They love the idea of having their own student for an extended period. Instead of having a new student every month, they get to know an individual over several months and really get to mentor, get to know what the student’s strengths are and where are the areas they can help them be even better,” he said.

The LIC curriculum embeds students in the community, allowing them opportunities to build their clinical and interpersonal skills. “The students feel more satisfied, and the patients also feel more satisfied,” Dr. Cartsonis said. The Halle Medical Scholars will build on that foundation, offering scholarships to help ease the financial burden of medical school and a specialized curriculum to aid students in becoming the best physician they can be.

“I’m grateful for the long-standing generosity of the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation. Through this gift, the College of Medicine – Phoenix will help carry on Diane and Bruce Halle’s legacy of caring for people,” said John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation. “This support will advance important work addressing the statewide rural health care shortage, all focused on medical students and patients.”

Dr. Brite expressed gratitude to the college for their support of the process. “I am appreciative of a leadership team that allows and encourages us to continue pursuing the things we know are important for our learners and our state,” she said.

“Distinction in delivering exceptional care to those in the rural and underserved areas of our state has always been central to the College of Medicine – Phoenix’s commitment to serving our communities. This funding will help advance that mission, ensuring more equitable access to care for those in most need,” said Fred E. Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA, dean of the college.

Michael Dake, MD, senior vice president of University of Arizona Health Sciences, shared in that sentiment. “The College of Medicine – Phoenix’s dedication to rural health is outstanding, from its valuable partnership with our Arizona Area Health Education Centers program to the launch of the new Family Medicine Residency – Payson program in partnership with Banner Health,” said Michael D. Dake, MD, senior vice president for the U of A Health Sciences. “The gift from the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation presents a wonderful opportunity to enhance our educational offerings for the next generation of health care professionals, who will carry the torch of providing compassionate and culturally sensitive care to build healthier communities for all.”

The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation, founded in 2002 by Bruce and Diane Halle, serves as a statewide leader in providing philanthropic resources for organizations working in the fields of human services, health and medical, education, arts and culture, and spirituality. It aims to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that all people can build healthy, productive and inspiring lives.