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Taylor Cupit seeks to go into family medicine to help educate Mississippi patients about every aspect of their health.
“I want to be able to have a strong relationship with patients as well as families,” says the Mississippi College junior. “I believe family medicine will allow me to be very active in my community.”
The 19-year-old from Brookhaven will see her dreams come true thanks to a major scholarship. In late June, Cupit and three other MC students were selected to receive $30,000 per-year from the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship. They are expected to be first-year medical students in Mississippi starting in the Fall of 2020.
Other scholarship recipients at Mississippi College are: Ali Pike of Philadelphia, Katelyn Brock of Vicksburg and Allie Body of Sylvarena.
Pike is the daughter of the late Mitchell Pike and Michelle Pike. Cupit is the daughter of Jeff and Kathy Cupit. Brock is the daughter of Carl and Jane Brock. Body is the daughter of Richmond and Pamela Body.
Created by the state Legislature in 2007, the scholarships attract Mississippians into healthcare fields to ease physician shortages. Program leaders discover high academic achievers showing a commitment to serve as physicians in rural areas.
After completing medical school, the professionals enter a residency program in primary care specialties such as family medicine, general internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology or pediatrics.
Other benefits: the medical students receive personalized mentoring from rural physicians and academic support. Scholarships total $120,000 over four years of medical school.
Mississippi State University became the leader this year with nine students selected. Mississippi College and the University of Mississippi each had four students chosen, says Dan Coleman, the program’s associate director.
The rural physician scholarship program is based at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
After completing admission requirements, the students attend either the University of Mississippi School of Medicine or the William Carey University College of Osteopathetic Medicine in Hattiesburg.
Support from the Mississippi Legislature will result in 60 medical students earning a total of $1.8 million to finance their education this fall.
“I like the thought of becoming a small town doctor who knows her patients by name,” says MC graduate Kaylie Bradshaw of Ellisville. Kaylie was selected for the scholarship last summer.
This summer, Taylor Cupit is gearing up for the MCAT exam. Her classes on the Clinton campus helped the 2016 North Pike High graduate get ready. “Mississippi College has already been such a blessing,” she said. “I feel fully prepared through the courses I have taken.”
For more information, contact Dan Coleman at 601-815-9022 or jdcoleman@umc.edu
Photo: Mississippi College juniors who are scholarship recipients: Ali Pike, Taylor Cupit, Katelyn Brock and Allie Boyd.
