Texas, April 17, 2026 — Yesterday and today, the Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine welcomed students from rural school districts across East Texas to its Regional Rural Medicine Camp. Hosted in partnership with East Texas A&M University, the two-day event aims to show rural high school students what careers in health care can look like and explore educational pathways to achieve those career ambitions.
“The Regional Rural Medicine Camp is about opening doors for students who may not otherwise see themselves in health care careers,” said Carol Brewer, M.Ed., director of K-12 Rural Medicine Outreach for the Vashisht College of Medicine’s Rural Medicine Program. “By bringing this experience to East Texas A&M, we’re helping students envision a future in medicine, while strengthening the pipeline of health care professionals dedicated to serving rural communities.”
The Regional Rural Medicine Camp provides students with early exposure to medical and health-related professions, with an emphasis on rural practice and improving access to care in underserved communities. Students engage in hands-on learning activities, breakout sessions and discussions led by faculty, medical students and health care professionals.
The Regional Rural Medicine Camp at East Texas A&M marks the first time the program has been held on this Texas A&M University System campus. The Rural Medicine Program has previously hosted regional camps at Texas A&M University - Kingsville, to reach students in South Texas.
The camp supports the Rural Medicine Program’s vision of a future where every rural community has access to quality health care. By bringing this successful regional camp format to East Texas, the college aims to expand access to medical education opportunities for students who may otherwise have limited exposure to health care careers.
Students from Bland ISD, Celeste ISD, Commerce ISD, Cumby Collegiate ISD, DeKalb ISD, Hamilton ISD, Lone Oak ISD, North Hopkins ISD, Pittsburg ISD, Queen City ISD, Quinlan ISD, Rivercrest ISD, Stephenville ISD, and Wolfe City ISD are expected to participate in the camp over the next two days.
Participation in the Regional Rural Medicine Camps is limited to rural school districts that are engaged with the Vashisht College of Medicine’s Rural Medicine Program, which offers health care career enrichment activities for rural students and professional development and other support for educators in rural school districts. Since 2021, the Rural Medicine program has worked to inspire the next generation of rural medicine through efforts designed to strengthen the rural physician pipeline, embrace local communities, and expand health education horizons.
Rural educators who are interested in learning more about how their district can get involved can email med-ruralk-12@tamu.edu.
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About the Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine’s Rural Medicine Program:
The Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine’s Rural Medicine Program was founded in 2021 with the vision of access to quality health care for every rural Texas community. In collaboration with local hospitals, clinics and schools, the Rural Medicine Program strives to strengthen the rural physician pipeline, embrace local communities and expand health education horizons to inspire the next generation of rural medicine. The Rural Medicine Program demonstrates the college’s commitment to advancing medicine to serve the greater good, while fulfilling its land-grant mission with a community-based model for learning. The program is part of the Texas A&M Health Rural Engagement Program, which is generously funded by the Texas Legislature. Learn more at medicine.tamu.edu/rural-medicine.
About East Texas A&M University:
East Texas A&M University serves rural and metropolitan East Texas with a dedicated mission to transform lives. With an enrollment of approximately 13,086 students, East Texas A&M is the third-largest member of The Texas A&M University System. Students choose from among 143+ academic degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels and learn from world-class faculty who conduct nationally recognized research. A vibrant student experience includes a thriving Greek community and more than 95 student-led organizations. As a member of the Southland Conference, East Texas A&M features 14 NCAA Division I athletic teams. The university offers classes online and on-site in Commerce, Dallas, Corsicana, McKinney, Mesquite, and Bryan (RELLIS).
