[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 125 (Monday, July 31, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page E 1561]]


            MEDICINE AT MARSHALL: CARING FOR WEST VIRGINIANS

                                 ______


                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 31, 1995
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, sometimes it is said that people do not 
appreciate what is in their own backyards. It then becomes even more 
important to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the hard-
working people of southern West Virginia. The case in point? Marshall's 
medical school in Huntington.
  In the past 10 years, 42 percent of Marshall University School of 
Medicine graduates have entered primary care practice. This gives 
Marshall the distinction of having the second highest rate of primary 
care graduates in the Nation--which is at least 3 times the national 
average.
  National recognition of this kind is impressive. But what it says is 
something even more important, both for Marshall and for West Virginia. 
Primary care--namely family practice, general internal medicine, and 
general pediatrics--is what West Virginia needs the most. And people at 
Marshall are deeply dedicated to providing it.
  The medical school at Marshall has two goals: providing students a 
top-quality education and improving health and health care delivery in 
West Virginia. Besides providing excellent classroom instruction, a 
medical education at Marshall emphasizes work in clinical settings, far 
beyond what most medical schools offer.
  Unlike what is found at most medical schools, the focus at Marshall 
is on situations common to generalists rather than narrow 
subspecialists dealing in highly technical areas. Dr. Bob Walker, the 
chairman of family and community health at Marshall, is dedicated to 
the community-integrated approach of Marshall's program. All students 
are required to spend at least 1 month in a rural practice, a 
requirement which often leads students to want to continue learning 
preparation in primary care in rural areas.
  One of the choices available is the rural physicians associate 
program, in which selected third-year students are placed in rural 
clinics for up to 9 consecutive months. Other programs include the 
accelerated residency in family practice program at Marshall, which 
lets some medical students combine their fourth year of medical school 
and the first year of a family practice residency, and Marshall's 
fellowship program in rural family practice, which matches family 
physicians with nonprofit health agencies in rural communities.
  The medical students are taught by dedicated physicians, who often 
teach on a volunteer basis. These professionals believe in what they do 
and are deeply committed to seeing that more students become primary 
care providers. With mentors like these, it is no wonder that Marshall 
students quickly catch the enthusiasm primary care providers have for 
their field.
  Although one-quarter of all Americans live in rural areas, only 6 
percent of medical school graduates go to rural areas to practice. At 
Marshall, people are well aware that it is the primary care provider 
who best serves the needs of a rural area. Marshall graduates leave the 
university having learned how to apply what they are learning in real-
life situations. This is important to West Virginians. Those who study 
at Marshall are prepared to bring their skills to the people of 
southern West Virginia. This is an excellent example of the quality 
endeavors of people in our State who work every day to improve the 
quality of life for West Virginians. Marshall's medical school is 
training people to be doctors in West Virginia, and doing a very good 
job of it.


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