The SEARCH program links health professions students - medical, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and masters in social work students - with rural and medically underserved communities. This is a recruitment and retention tool for South Dakota, founded on the premise that providing students with primary care experience in rural communities will encourage them to later practice in a similar community. It is expected that by early exposure to rural primary health care delivery, students will choose a primary care focus to their education and ultimately return to underserved areas after completing educational program requirements.

Sponsored by the National Health Service
Program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, and Bureau of Primary Health Care.

Funded by the National Health Service, Corps,
the SEARCH program is administered through the Community HealthCare Association, the state primary care association for North and South Dakota.

 

South Dakota communities and health professional students participating in SEARCH are taking part in a grass-roots recruitment and retention effort that provides community-based, primary care experiences and works to advance three vital goals for South Dakota's health care future:

• Promoting primary care career choices in underserved areas.
• Developing links between faculty committed to primary care education and community-based health care providers.
• Helping students develop skills necessary to multidisciplinary cooperation and cultural competency.

Comments or suggestions may be addressed to Bart Hallberg. Phone: (605) 357-1515.

Student/Resident Experiences And Rotations in Community Health

Program Components

Student Application

Testimonials

What Makes SEARCH Unique

Who Benefits