Eastern Shore Rural Health Scholars Program
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) continues to effect real and lasting change by serving the public good of Maryland and society-at-large through education, research, clinical care, and service.
UMB enrolls nearly 6,700 students in six nationally ranked professional schools — Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work — and the interdisciplinary School of Graduate Studies. The University offers 97 doctoral, master’s baccalaureate, and certificate programs and confers most of the professional practice doctoral degrees awarded in Maryland. As such, UMB is uniquely positioned to address the urgent need for health care professionals across Maryland’s Eastern Shore through a comprehensive, student-centered ecosystem designed to build a pipeline of talented, community-rooted providers.
OUR VISION is to improve the quality of health care on the Eastern Shore by investing in a continuum of engagement — beginning in middle school and extending through graduate health care education.
OUR PURPOSE is to function as a connector — bridging gaps between university expertise and local community assets — to increase health care access and economic opportunity for families across the region.
OUR APPROACH builds on trusted community partnerships and UMB’s institutional strength to deliver a holistic, place-based talent development model. This approach includes:
- Early exposure to health care careers through community organizations and school partnerships
- Mentorship and academic advising by UMB faculty and health care professionals
- Scholarship support, clinical placements, and incentives to stay and serve in Mid-Shore communities
- Ongoing student support and alumni tracking to ensure career success and local retention
Building a Pipeline of Health Care Providers on the Eastern Shore Through Scholarship Support
Academic support through scholarships is important to removing financial barriers for talented Eastern Shore students to pursue careers in the health care field. Dorchester County student Amanda Bair is an example of how UMB alignment with an Eastern Shore community organization can remove these financial barriers.
Amanda, who decided to become a physician in middle school, began her journey with the support of a scholarship from the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce for her undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Upon acceptance to the University of Maryland School of Medicine, she was able to attend tuition-free with a four-year UMB Eastern Shore Rural Health scholarship.
