Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama announced it will be expanding its medical scholarship program in an effort to better address health disparities, particularly in rural areas of Alabama.
“Blue Cross is working to emphasize improvement in areas that are currently underrepresented,” said Dr. Darrel Weaver, Vice President of Provider Engagement, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. “It is often the cost of medical school and education which prevents people from choosing careers in the medical industry. Scholarships enable more people to choose a career in medicine, and this is good news for rural Alabama and other under served areas.”
Weaver said while there has been progress as a result of the scholarships, BCBS of Alabama will remain focused on prioritizing primary care needs.
“It’s good to know we have professionals practicing today in parts of Alabama who really needed the additional care. Those successes are a result of these scholarships. We’ll continue our focus on primary care, but we’ll also place extra emphasis on maternal and behavioral health as well as addressing shortages in dentistry and nursing.”
In addition to renewing and expanding existing scholarships, Blue Cross is using the scholarships to fight several ongoing crises across the state including:
Behavioral Health Crisis
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), mental illness rates have been rising for the last 20 years. This crisis disproportionately affects veterans, people who suffered trauma as children, or those who came from abusive homes. In Alabama, roughly 41% of the population requires mental health or substance abuse services according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Nursing Shortage
According to a survey from The Alabama Board of Nursing, roughly 39,000 nurses are expected to leave the profession in the next five years. Based on that information, the current nurse deficit of 5,000 is expected to balloon upward to an overwhelming 14,000 by 2027.
Dentistry Shortage
Rural areas often struggle to attract dentists, and the number of dentists in rural Alabama is shrinking. There is at least one county in the state without a single dentist.
Maternal Health Disparities
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), infant and maternal mortality rates in Alabama are a huge problem. Infant and mortality rates in Alabama are well above the national average. Blue Cross is now providing scholarships to Certified Nurse Midwives and Family Medicine Obstetrics to support a larger Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association goal of reducing maternal health disparities by 50% within five years. These scholarships will support nurses working towards their degrees as Registered Nurses (RNs).
For 2024, scholarships will go to students at the following Alabama schools:
• Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan
• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Auburn University
• University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine
• University of South Alabama College of Medicine in Mobile
• Jefferson State Community College
• Calhoun Community College
• West Alabama Community College
• Coastal Alabama Community College
Since the company first began the program in 2016, 145 students have been awarded Blue Cross scholarships and 29 have graduated and are now practicing in rural areas across Alabama. In addition to renewing the $11 million in scholarship funding provided since 2016, Blue Cross has committed an additional $13 million towards medical scholarships.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten
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