UGA pre-med students explore rural health care in immersive tour

Cassidy Head stopped writing, put down her pen, and leaned back in her chair to absorb the moment. Doctors at the Colquitt Regional Medical Center were sharing their experiences practicing medicine and living in a rural Georgia community to the rapt attention of UGA pre-med students.

“The community doesn’t just see us as doctors,” one physician said. “They see us as family.”

For Head and her classmates, this sentiment captured the heart of rural health care—healing extends beyond the clinic walls and into the community itself.

“Physicians who immerse themselves in this way of life tend to stay longer, gain local recognition and build meaningful relationships.”

The shortage of physicians and health care workers poses a pressing challenge for rural Georgia. Georgia ranks 39th in the nation for active patient care physicians per capita, and 10 counties lack even a single doctor. To help address this issue, the University of Georgia is engaging with rural communities to develop the next health care workforce.

Head, a fourth-year biological sciences major, and four other UGA pre-med students participated in the pilot Pre-Med Rural Georgia Hospital Tour this summer. The UGA Archway Partnership, a Public Service and Outreach unit, hosted the three-day rural medicine experience as part of its Look Ahead Georgia workforce initiative.

The students visited hospitals in Colquitt, Grady, Laurens, and Washington counties, where they spoke with physicians, administrators, and community leaders. They also took downtown tours, visited local restaurants, and talked with business owners and residents—all to learn what life would be like practicing medicine in a rural community.

The tour helped dispel misconceptions about rural health care by showing students the unique opportunities available in small-town hospitals. Physicians shared positive experiences, described their work-life balance, and showed off their modern technology and up-to-date facilities.

“One of the biggest takeaways for me was seeing how deeply connected rural health care providers are to their communities,” said Ashlyn Kingsley, a third-year health promotion major from Marietta studying to be a physician assistant. “They’re truly valued—not just as professionals, but as neighbors and trusted members of the community. That kind of support system really stood out and experiencing it firsthand was more powerful than I ever expected.”

UGA students learn about the Colquitt Regional Medical Center’s use of high-fidelity manikins to create an immersive learning environment. From left to right are Dr. Kevin Bhagratie, a family medicine resident at Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Archway Partnership Operations Coordinator Sharon Liggett and UGA students Bella Stewart, Brooke Belsito, Ashlyn Kingsley, Cassidy Head and Catie Kiefer. In the back row are Colquitt County Archway Professional Sara Hand and Archway Partnership graduate assistant Eli Whitaker.

Leaving a legacy

Working with Archway Operations Coordinator Sharon Liggett, Head organized the tour as part of her Elizabeth V. Wight Southwest Georgia Internship. She spent last summer working with local leaders and touring hospitals—carrying out Archway’s mission of connecting university resources with community needs.

Head grew up in rural Hawkinsville (population of about 4,000) and is committed to returning to a rural community to practice medicine. She also hopes to inspire her peers to consider medical careers in rural areas.

Head’s internship was funded by Elizabeth “Lib” and Neal Quirk and named in honor of Lib’s mother, Elizabeth V. Wight, who died in March 2023. Wight, a UGA alumna and longtime resident of Grady County, was deeply devoted to her family, friends, and community.

“My mom loved UGA, and she loved rural communities. She was so thrilled when she first learned about UGA’s efforts to make those places better,” Lib Quirk said. “We’re very proud that the internship is supporting Cassidy’s passions for public service and rural health while expanding the community engagement work of UGA.”

Matthew Clifton, vice president of ancillary services at Colquitt Regional, was impressed by the students’ engagement during the tour.

“Physicians who immerse themselves in this way of life tend to stay longer, gain local recognition and build meaningful relationships,” said Clifton, a UGA alum and member of the Colquitt County Archway Partnership Executive Committee. “Through this partnership, UGA helps foster those connections, making rural practice more personal, appealing and accessible.”