Celebrating Rural Health Day: The Beating Heart of Rural America’s Well-Being, Workforce and Economy
Dr. Michael Waldrum
Each year on National Rural Health Day, we pause to recognize the incredible contributions of those who provide care in rural communities. It is here, in rural America, where resilience, innovation, and compassion intersect to create lasting impacts in the lives of patients and their families.
But this day is more than a celebration of service. It’s a reminder that rural health care organizations are powerful engines of workforce development, economic vitality, and community well-being.
There’s no question that rural health care faces persistent challenges: workforce shortages, funding gaps, and infrastructure limitations. Yet, despite these realities, thousands of people across eastern North Carolina, and millions across the nation, go to work each day to care for others.
At ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, we understand rural health care because it is who we are and what we do. Our rural hospitals and clinics aren’t just a small part of a broader health system, they are the heart of our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. Within their walls are the people who make our vision of creating the national model for academic rural health care a reality.
We are proud of our rural identity, and it guides us in everything we do. In towns where the nearest hospital may be miles away and the population sparse, rural health care providers are often the largest employers. Clinics, hospitals, and community health centers like ours don’t just deliver care, they create jobs, train future professionals, and anchor local economies. From nurses and lab technicians to IT specialists and administrative staff, rural health care organizations offer career pathways that keep talent rooted in rural America.
Moreover, organizations like ours are uniquely positioned to cultivate the next generation of health professionals. Through partnerships with schools, colleges, and workforce organizations, they provide internships, apprenticeships, and continuing education that open doors and meet community needs. These programs don’t just fill vacancies, they build futures and empower young people to pursue meaningful careers without leaving their hometowns.
The economic ripple effect is profound. A thriving health care sector attracts new businesses, supports housing markets, and enhances quality of life—making rural communities more attractive for families and entrepreneurs alike. When rural health care is strong, the whole community flourishes.
So, on this National Rural Health Day, let’s celebrate the caregivers, support teams, educators, and advocates who make rural health care possible. And let’s also commit to supporting the policies, investments, and partnerships that strengthen their role as workforce developers and economic catalysts.
Because when rural health thrives—America thrives.
Mike Waldrum, MD, MSc, MBA
Chief Executive Officer, ECU Health
Dean, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
Leading the East Forward
We’re proud to bring high-quality, compassionate health care to the region we call home. We’re also grateful to serve as a local leader in employment opportunities and continuing education. Improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina goes beyond the clinical care provided, it means taking care of team members and creating a healthy workforce in the East. Learn more about the people and programs making a special difference right here at ECU Health below.
People
David Roberts
David Roberts’ journey to becoming a NICU nurse at ECU Health began when he was just 10 years old. He spent weekends and summers helping his grandmother and cousins care for his grandfather. Through Health Sciences Academy, the HomeGrown Program, and the support of family and fellow team members, David found his way to a role he loves at Maynard Children’s Hospital.
Programs
Health Sciences Academy
Twenty years ago, an idea took root in eastern North Carolina to create a collaboration aimed at building a pipeline of future health care professionals in the region by exposing students to health care careers from middle school on. That idea became the Health Sciences Academy (HSA).
Jalen Hill
In March of 2021, Jalen Hill, MLT (ASCP)CM, joined ECU Health Beaufort Hospital as a cook in the Food and Nutrition Services department. “I wanted to go to culinary school,” he said. “But once I was at the hospital, I found out about a whole other world of opportunities.”
STEM East and NC East Alliance
ECU Health, in partnership with STEM East and NC East Alliance, welcomed K-12 educators from across eastern North Carolina to the third annual Health Sciences Industry in Schools experience, an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at the ECU Health’s system of care designed to inspire the next generation of health care professionals.
Simone Cummings
One of the newest education opportunities is the Learning Lab program, which provides ECU Health Medical Center team members the opportunity to earn their high school equivalency in partnership with Pitt Community College.
Nurse Extern Program
The summer break was no break for more than two dozen East Carolina University College of Nursing students who got to see what their post-graduation life could be like with a new student nurse extern program sponsored by ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville.
Kimalie Robinson
Education is one of ECU Health’s IC-EAST Values, and our team members exemplify and live these values each day. Kimalie Robinson, Central Services Technician, is a great example of how the Value of Education is lived out.
Grow Local
Local middle school students had the opportunity to visit ECU Health Medical Center and learn about careers in the health care industry.
Kara Dozier
“The program helped me reach my goal of working at ECU Health,” said Kara Dozier, a hostess with the Food and Nutrition Services team, of the NC Works program.
Match Day
In the culmination of years of hard work, studying and time spent in the clinical setting, fourth-year medical students from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University – and across the country – learned where they would spend their residency training on Match Day, March 21.
People
David Roberts
David Roberts’ journey to becoming a NICU nurse at ECU Health began when he was just 10 years old. He spent weekends and summers helping his grandmother and cousins care for his grandfather. Through Health Sciences Academy, the HomeGrown Program, and the support of family and fellow team members, David found his way to a role he loves at Maynard Children’s Hospital.
Jalen Hill
In March of 2021, Jalen Hill, MLT (ASCP)CM, joined ECU Health Beaufort Hospital as a cook in the Food and Nutrition Services department. “I wanted to go to culinary school,” he said. “But once I was at the hospital, I found out about a whole other world of opportunities.”
Simone Cummings
One of the newest education opportunities is the Learning Lab program, which provides ECU Health Medical Center team members the opportunity to earn their high school equivalency in partnership with Pitt Community College.
Kimalie Robinson
Education is one of ECU Health’s IC-EAST Values, and our team members exemplify and live these values each day. Kimalie Robinson, Central Services Technician, is a great example of how the Value of Education is lived out.
Kara Dozier
“The program helped me reach my goal of working at ECU Health,” said Kara Dozier, a hostess with the Food and Nutrition Services team, of the NC Works program.
Programs
Health Sciences Academy
Twenty years ago, an idea took root in eastern North Carolina to create a collaboration aimed at building a pipeline of future health care professionals in the region by exposing students to health care careers from middle school on. That idea became the Health Sciences Academy (HSA).
STEM East and NC East Alliance
ECU Health, in partnership with STEM East and NC East Alliance, welcomed K-12 educators from across eastern North Carolina to the third annual Health Sciences Industry in Schools experience, an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at the ECU Health’s system of care designed to inspire the next generation of health care professionals.
Nurse Extern Program
The summer break was no break for more than two dozen East Carolina University College of Nursing students who got to see what their post-graduation life could be like with a new student nurse extern program sponsored by ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville.
Grow Local
Local middle school students had the opportunity to visit ECU Health Medical Center and learn about careers in the health care industry.
Match Day
In the culmination of years of hard work, studying and time spent in the clinical setting, fourth-year medical students from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University – and across the country – learned where they would spend their residency training on Match Day, March 21.