Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship program accepts six ��ӽ紫ý students

��ӽ紫ý students Tyus Wilson, Caleb McCreary, Makenzie Downs, Kayla Williams, Layne Boykin and Donovan Gordon pictured outside in white lab coats — Six Mississippi ��ӽ紫ý students recently were accepted into the prestigious Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship ��ӽ紫ý. They include (front row, l-r) Tyus Wilson of Bay Springs, Caleb McCreary of Brookhaven, Makenzie Downs of Puckett; (back row, l-r) Kayla Williams of Greenville, Layne Boykin of Waynesboro and Donovan Gordon of Olive Branch. (Photo submitted)

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Six current Mississippi ��ӽ紫ý students recently learned they will receive $30,000 per year to attend medical ��ӽ紫ý as part of the prestigious Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship ��ӽ紫ý.

MRPSP scholarships are awarded each year after the students complete the pre-matriculation portion of the program, created in 2007 by the Mississippi Legislature. Awards are based on available funding.

Scholars selected from ��ӽ紫ý include (by hometown):

BAY SPRINGS—Tyus Wilson, a senior food science, nutrition and health promotion/food and nutrition major.

BROOKHAVEN—Caleb S. McCreary, a junior biological engineering/biomedical engineering major.

GREENVILLE—Kayla L. Williams, a junior biological sciences/pre-medicine major.

OLIVE BRANCH—Donovan K. Gordon, a senior biochemistry/pre-medicine major.

PUCKETT—Makenzie L. Downs, a senior biochemistry/pre-medicine major.

WAYNESBORO—Layne M. Boykin, a junior biochemistry/pre-medicine major.

In addition to undergraduate academic enrichment and support, MRPSP provides clinical experience and mentoring from practicing physicians. Students who complete all medical ��ӽ紫ý requirements can be admitted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center or William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Upon completion of medical ��ӽ紫ý, scholars must enter a residency program in one of five primary care specialties—family medicine, general internal medicine, pediatrics, medicine-pediatrics, or obstetrics/gynecology. Four years of service in a clinic-based practice in a program-approved, rural Mississippi community also is required.

Consistent legislative support of MRPSP translates to 61 medical students receiving a total of $1.8 million to support their education this fall.

��ӽ紫ý’s Dr. A. Randle and Marilyn W. White Health Professions Resource Center guides ��ӽ紫ý students in any academic major who aspire to gain entry into a health professional ��ӽ紫ý. Located in Harned Hall, Room 116, the office is named for the Greenwood nephrologist and his wife whose support helped make it a reality in 2016. Learn more at .

For more information, visit or contact Steven Carter, MRPSP associate director, at 601-815-9022 or jscarter@umc.edu.

��ӽ紫ý is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at .

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