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Pathways to Primary Care
The Rowan-Virtua SOM Pathways to Primary Care Program cultivates future physicians dedicated to compassionate, community-centered primary care. Through mentorship, hands-on experience, and academic support, we empower diverse students to serve underserved populations and strengthen the primary care workforce, addressing health disparities across New Jersey and beyond.
Ideal program participants are medical and post-bacc students of Rowan University who are highly motivated and dedicated to working in medically underserved communities in the field of Primary Care. Students from rural and medically underserved communities are encouraged to apply.
Program Elements
- The Pathways to Primary Care Scholarship (Pathway Scholars)
- The Primary Care Seminar Series - mandatory for Pathway Scholars
- Rural Clinical Experience - mandatory for Pathway Scholars
- Rural primary care shadowing experiences (pre-clerkship students)
- Rural medicine clerkships
- The Mobile Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Clinic
- The Primary Care Careers, Research & Experiences to Accelerate Training and Education (CREATE) Program
- Post-bacc Pathway to Primary Care Support
Pathways to Primary Care Scholarship
Pathway Scholars
Pathway Scholars receive a tuition scholarship and are required to attend the Primary Care Pathways Seminar Series and either the rural medicine shadowing experience (pre-clerkship students) or the rural medicine clerkship (clerkship students).
The Scholarship
The Pathways to Careers in Primary Care Scholarship offers $23,000 tuition scholarships annually for Rowan-Virtua SOM medical students dedicated to primary care. Up to 20 scholarships are awarded each year of the grant (2024-27). Priority is given to students from rural, tribal, or medically underserved areas in New Jersey who intend to return and serve these communities. Eligible applicants must be first- through third-year students in good academic standing (including incoming first years students), committed to careers in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, or med-peds. Recipients may reapply annually, though renewal is not guaranteed due to funding limitations. Students must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or qualified aliens, and not fully funded by other scholarships.
Eligibility for the scholarship is determined on a yearly basis and is only open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Additionally, your specific level of education will partially determine scholarship eligibility.
(The 2025-2026 application cycle has closed - check back in Spring 2026 when the 2026-2027 application cycle opens.)
The Pathways to Primary Care program at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Scholarship Requirements for Pathway Scholars
The Seminar Series offers students a unique opportunity to engage with leading specialists in the field of primary care. Through interactive sessions, students gain insight into real-world challenges and innovations in serving medically underserved and rural communities. Each seminar features a guest speaker who shares their expertise on topics such as health equity, community-based care, cultural competence, and pathways to primary care careers. These seminars not only deepen students’ understanding of key health care issues but also provide mentorship and inspiration as they prepare for impactful futures in primary care and research.
The Seminar Series is mandatory for Pathway Scholars. All Pathways to Primary Care program participants are encouraged to attend and participate.
Shadowing Opportunities
Scholarship recipients gain access to structured shadowing opportunities with primary care physicians in rural and medically underserved areas. These experiences provide valuable clinical exposure, deepen understanding of community health needs, and strengthen students’ commitment to serving in primary care fields through direct observation and mentorship in real-world health care settings
Clerkship Opportunities
Medical students in their third year will have the opportunity to work with our Southern Jersey Family Medical Center partner in rural and medically underserved areas focusing on pediatric medicine.
The Shadowing and Clerkship experiences are mandatory for Pathway Scholars. Other Rowan-Virtua SOM students may have the opportunity to experience these opportunities if space is available.
Additional Opportunities for all Participants
Scholarship recipients and non-awarded medical students have the opportunity to participate in Mobile OMM clinics that provide hands-on osteopathic care and health education in underserved and rural communities.
The Pathways to Primary Care CREATE Program at Rowan-Virtua SOM offers a summer research opportunity for medical and post-bacc students to explore primary care in underserved communities. Participants work with physicians and public health experts, receive stipends, and engage in hands-on projects focused on equity, access and community health in primary care settings.
To apply for the CREATE Program, please visit the SMRF program application and follow all the directions to apply.
All applications will be received through this process. Please make sure to put in the title section that you would like to be considered for the Pathways to Primary Care CREATE Program.
MCAT Prep at Rowan-Virtua SOM offers students in a postbac program, such as pre-health postbac at Rowan University or Rowan-Virtua School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences, a stipend and support to prepare for the MCAT. We also offer academic support to students who receive the funding. Please send an email to Daisha Carson, carsond@rowan.edu, if interested or have someone that you would recommend for this opportunity.
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Program Goals |
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| Academic Services | Career Development Opportunities | Mentoring & Coaching | Financial Assistance | Pipeline Structure |
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Academic, career coaching and tutoring | Stipends (for Primary Care CREATE Program participation) and scholarships | Clear pathways from high school → college → health professions school → career entry |