Winter 2025
VOL. 3
nerha.org
RURAL ROOTS
Special Edition: Rural Health Student Summit Learn. Lead. Thrive.
ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION For over 25 years, the New England Rural Health Association (NERHA) has served as the state rural health association for the six New England states. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing rural health. NERHA provides education, training, consulting, and advocacy in support of the rural health organizations and individuals in our region. We encourage future health professionals to practice rurally through scholarships for rural student internships. Headquartered in Vermont, the Association is governed by a Board of Directors and administered by an Executive Director. With over 550 members and over 6,00 subscribers, we represent a wide range of rural health professionals, including hospitals, clinics, public health, and academic institutions. Key initiatives include strengthening the rural health workforce through student memberships, scholarships, and internships. Join us in advancing rural health by becoming a member, serving on our committees or Board, or partnering with us. Learn more at NERHA.org.
CONTENTS
01
21
Welcome
Feature
INTRODUCTION
PAYING FOR IT ALL: LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS & MORE
03 Feature
MAGGIE GOODLANDER
Publishing Dartmouth Printing
Feature
Feature
RURAL HEALTH
THANK YOU
07 Panel Disscusion
LIVING & WORKING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES
Planning & Design New England Rural Health Association Executive Editor: Andy Lowe Design: Kiera Hight Photography: Lars Blackmore, Milo Keatinge Bezark E-mail: admin@newenglandrha.org
13 Feature
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Read Rural Roots magazine online at the website: nerha.org Copyright ©2026 New England Rural Health Association. All rights reserved.
NETWORKING
27
OPENING
Winter 2026 Vol. 3 - Special Edition
Feature
05 STUDENT SUMMIT
RURAL ROOTS
23
17 Feature
RURAL HEALTH LEARDERSHIP INSTITUTE
Welcome
Introduction Welcome to the Winter edition of the New England Rural Health Association Rural Roots magazine. This special edition is dedicated to the 2025 NERHA Rural Health Student Summit held Saturday, September 6, 2025 at the stunning facilities at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire with support from the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine. The Rural Health Student Summit grew out of NERHA’s strategic commitment to be New England’s rural health Workforce Champion. Through events like this, NERHA is helping students to become familiar with the needs and promise of rural practice, with the hope that many will choose to practice rurally one day. We designed the Student Summit to expose students to the joys, challenges, and everyday realities of living and practicing rurally. As the photos inside show, perhaps the Student Summit experience was most memorable for the unique opportunities it offered for interprofessional and interscholastic networking, building relationships that could last a lifetime. In 2025 we were thrilled to register more than 100 learners from 16 universities across New England for the Student Summit. Attendees represented students of medicine, nursing, nursing practice, physician assistant, public health, behavioral health, dentistry, undergraduate health professions, and more. The event was supported by a wide range of speakers, faculty, researchers, and exhibitors who donated their time, expertise and energy on a Saturday. It was a full day! Dr. Sonia Nagy Chimienti, MD FIDSA, Dean of Educational Affairs, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, welcomed the participants, and introduced two Dartmouth Geisel students. We were honored and excited that U.S. Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander provided opening remarks. A panel of rural practitioners from a variety of disciplines and locations held an interactive discussion about the good, challenging, and often just plain funny sides of rural health. Eight breakout sessions were held to stimulate, educate, inform and engage students on a variety of skills and competencies. Twenty-five rural workforce learners from the Rural Health Leadership Institute also kicked off their eight-week program at the Summit. Exhibitors such as Area Health Education Centers and the U.S. Air Force were on hand to help students with options such as tuition reimbursement. As you browse through photos here and think about the event’s impact on expanding the rural health workforce, I hope you will consider becoming part of the 2026 NERHA Student Summit. There are many ways to participate: as an attendee, planner, presenter, sponsor, or supporter. If you are interested in joining our Student Summit Planning Committee, please contact Steven Guy at admin@newenglandrha.org.
Article by Andy Lowe
New Hampshire Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander opened the Student Summit. The Congresswoman has been a strong champion of rural health in New Hampshire and beyond.
Maggie’s remarks on health equity and the right of all Americans to affordable healthcare energized the crowd. She fielded many thoughtful questions from the audience, setting a tone of meaningful action that resonated throughout the day. Brava, Maggie!
“What we see are the painful choices people across this state and our country have to make, the painful choices people in rural America are having to make. The opportunity we have together is to rebuild, and you all give me a lot of hope… and that’s why I’m here.” - Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander
Dr. Sonia Nagy Chimienti, MD FIDSA, Dean of Educational Affairs at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine welcomed attendees to the Rural Health Student Summit.
Dr. Chimienti introduced Dartmouth Geisel medical students and rural health scholars Emma Jacobs and Gabriela Sanders, who shared their perspectives about what draws them to rural health.
DIS SCU S ION PAN E L LIVING & WORKING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES
The Kickoff Panel titled “Living & Working in Rural Communities,” provided an unfiltered look at the joys, challenges, and nuances of professional life in a rural community. The panel’s core intent was to move beyond academic theory, giving students a practical, real-life perspective on topics like professional isolation and finding support, growing or leaping into leadership roles, addressing the unique disparities and strengths of rural patient populations, and successfully integrating into smaller communities. The distinguished panel featured a breadth of experience across various health sectors, moderated by Jeffrey Waldron, MS, PA-C, Director of the Franklin Pierce Physician Assistant Program. Panelists included: • • • •
Kristin Barnum, RN, MBA, Executive Director, Community Nursing Connection (NH, VT) Dr. Haylie Genoa, DMD, Dental Director, Sacopee Valley Health Center (ME) Leonardo S. Ghio, MBA, Project Director, Northwest Hills Community Health Network of Connecticut Edward D. Shanshala II, MSHSA, MSEd, Chief Executive Officer, Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, Inc. (NH)
The panelists honestly shared their experiences in rural life, from stories about navigating running into patients in the grocery store and making tough decisions as a Community Health Center leader, to giving rides to ensure patients could get to the care they needed, and seeing a child no longer fear the dentist after working with them with a trauma-informed approach. By connecting with these leaders, students gained a realistic idea about what rural life entails and how deeply fulfilling and impactful a rural career can be. 5
6
BREA SESS
KOUT IONS
Student-focused breakout sessions offered hands-on learning, peer discussion, and practical insights into rural health pathways, leadership, and community impact.
List of Sessions Offered: Living and Working in Rural Communities: The Real Scoop Jeffery Waldron, MS, PA-C & Edward D Shanshala II, MSHSA, MSEd Identifying and Referring for Genomic and Genetic Testing Dr. Nidhi Shah, MD, FACMG Announcement Approach Training: Discussing HPV Vaccination with Rural Families Maureen Boardman, MSN, FNP-C, FAANP Level Up: Negotiation Skills to Advance Your Career Dr. Erin Sullivan, Ph.D. Community-Based Breast Cancer Support: How the Ellie Fund is Changing Lives Danna Remen, MS
Rural Health Leadership Institute The New England Public Health Training Center and NERHA opened their second Rural Health Leadership Institute at the Student Summit. Led by Daniel Merrigan, EdD, MPH, ThM, MDiv, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences at Boston University School of Public Health, the 2025 RHLI cohort kicked off an intensive eight-week course. Twenty-five emerging rural healthcare leaders from around New England broke into teams to work on rural public health challenges such as restoring trust in public health, rural transportation, emergency management, and more. Six weeks of interactive virtual sessions followed the in-person launch, with another inperson wrap-up at the NERHA conference in November.
Panel Session
Paying for It All: Loan Repayment Programs & More Navigating the financial landscape of healthcare education and career development can feel overwhelming. This session was led by Luca Fernandez, Vermont Primary Care Office Director and Rural Health Programs Administrator and equipped students with financial options needed to support their rural careers, detailing resources for students and future health professionals, including: State & Federal Loan Repayment Programs: Strategies for utilizing programs specifically designed for those committed to rural service. Scholarship Opportunities: High-impact scholarships and grants to help offset education costs. Service-based Repayment: Information on programs, including Public Service Loan Forgiveness, National Health Service Corps, and the United States Air Force, which offer repayment in exchange for service commitments. The presentation also covered recent changes to the graduate loan programs with caps on borrowing amounts that students can utilize to afford their health education. NERHA believes in giving students the knowledge and skills to engage in advocacy on issues that impact the rural workforce and their rural careers. Immediately following this insightful session, the discussion continued into the Resource Fair, where students had the opportunity to talk directly with representatives from the U.S. Air Force, Area Health Education Centers (AHECs), and the Primary Care Associations.
NETWO
ORKING
was the order of the day. Students formed bonds across schools and disciplines that will pay big dividends in interprofessional relationships when they start to practice.
THANK YOU! The NERHA Rural Health Student Summit was a product of an extensive team of dedicated rural health champions and organizations. We extend our profound gratitude to the following:
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Sonia Nagy Chimienti, MD FIDSA, Dean of Educational Affairs, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine New Hampshire Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander and her staff Emma Jacobs, Medical Student, Geisel School of Medicine Gabriela Sanders, Medical Student, Geisel School of Medicine Jeffrey Waldron, MS, PA-C, Director, Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Program Kristin Barnum, RN, MBA, Executive Director, Community Nursing Connection Dr. Haylie Genoa, DMD, Dental Director, Sacopee Valley Health Center Leonardo S. Ghio, MBA, Project Director, Northwest Hills Community Health Network of Connecticut Luca Fernandez, Rural Health Programs Administrator, Vermont Department of Health Edward D. Shanshala II, MSHSA, MSEd, Chief Executive Officer, Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, Inc. Dr. Erin Sullivan, PhD, Suffolk University Maureen Boardman, MSN, FNP-C, Dartmouth Health Dr. Nidhi Shah, MD, Dartmouth Health Danna Remen, The Ellie Fund Dr. Daniel Merriman, EdD, MPH, ThM, MDiv, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences at Boston University School of Public Health Candice Bangham, MPH, New England Public Health Training Center at Boston University School of Public Health Lindsey Kastner, MPH, New England Public Health Training Center at Boston University School of Public Health The ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, and CT State Offices of Rural Health NERHA Education and Student Summit Committee NERHA Staff and Board of Directors Kevin Criscione, Project Coordinator, Workforce Recruitment, NH VT Recruitment Center, a Service of Bi-State Primary Care Association MSGT Anthony Noland, Certified Medical Staff Recruiter, U.S. Air Force Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) The ARISe Team including Grace Ryan & Princilla Minkah Jeff Chidester, Manchester Media Group/WFEA Lou’s Restaurant & Bakery All of our student attendees
THANK YOU TO OUR ENDORSED PARTNERS
MCD Global Health (MCD) is a public health nonprofit organization and member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes. They are recognized in the United States and internationally as a leader, innovator, and trusted partner in the design, implementation, and assessment of high-quality and enduring programs in public health.
Carematix Inc was started in March 2001 by three engineers with extensive academic and professional backgrounds in product and system design and hardware/software engineering focused on Remote Patient Monitoring. Their vision was to develop a suite of vital signs monitoring products that would be low-cost and user-friendly.
Spacelabs has over 60 years of experience in helping care teams to understand and act on their patients’ conditions in critical, sub-acute, and perioperative care environments. Their expertise lies in working with healthcare providers in hospitals, medical clinics, and physician offices to assess their needs and satisfy them with high-quality informatics, patient measurement, and clinical networking solutions.
SAVE THE
DATE SATURDAY SEPTEMBER
12
@Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
JOIN US AT THE 2026 STUDENT SUMMIT & Learn. Lead. Thrive. The New England Rural Health Association’s Rural Health Student Summit aims to empower students interested in rural healthcare by providing a platform for networking, learning, and skill-building. Join us for a day of exploration, collaboration, and growth!
✓ Keynote Panel ✓ Resource Fair ✓ Skill Building ✓ Career Talks
HELP US MAKE THE 2026 Registration is free for all! STUDENT SUMMIT BETTER LEARN MORE AT NERHA.ORG THAN EVER!
Join the Student Summitt Planning Committee and help shape the event. SCAN TO TO MORE BE ADDED CONTACT LEARN admin@newenglandrha.org & REGISTER
NEW ENGLAND RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
ENDORSED
PARTNER PROGRAM The Endorsed Partner Program starts at $5,000
ABOUT US For over 25 years the New England Rural Health Association (NERHA) has served as the state rural health association for the six New England states. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing rural health. NERHA provides education, training, consulting, and advocacy in support of the rural health organizations and individuals in our region.
WHY PARTNER WITH US Discover Some of the Benefits of Becoming an Endorsed Partner with NERHA! One full-page ad in our quarterly magazine, Rural Roots Priority placement for exhibit booth space at NERHA conferences
MISSION
Opportunity to host two webinars
To improve the health and wellbeing of the people and communities throughout rural New England.
The NERHA gold seal
VISION
Promotions across NERHA publications and e-newsletters
We envision a rural New England in which all people have equitable pathways to health including complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
MORE INFO admin@newenglandrha.org
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The New England Rural Health Association (NERHA), established in 1997, is the largest regional rural health association in the U.S., serving all six New England states. As a non-profit governed by a Board of Directors, we provide advocacy, education, technical assistance, and program support to improve rural health.
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