Birmingham, AL — 29 recipients of a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama medical scholarship are now practicing primary care medicine in rural areas throughout the state, providing quality healthcare to hundreds of Alabamians who otherwise wouldn’t have access to care.

The program’s success is due to our partnerships with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (Auburn), UAB’s School of Medicine (Birmingham), Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (Dothan) and University of South Alabama Medical Center (Mobile).

“Over the last 7 years, 144 medical students have been awarded a Blue Cross medical scholarship. Now that the scholarship recipients are graduating and establishing their practices, we are seeing the results of the program we were hoping for,” said Dr. Darrel Weaver, Vice President, Healthcare Network Services, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. “Many Alabamians now have access to the quality healthcare they need, giving them peace of mind and resulting in better health outcomes.”

“It’s really important we have enough physicians to not only take care of the people in Enterprise but also the smaller towns surrounding Enterprise,” said Dr. Whitni Richard, scholarship recipient. “Not having the extra stress of having to pay back student loans allows me to focus on what is most important which is caring for my patients.”

The majority of Alabama’s counties do not have enough primary care and behavioral health physicians, so Blue Cross made available $11 million in scholarships to invest in the future of its Primary Care Physician Network. As a condition of these scholarships, recipients agree to practice as primary care or behavioral health physicians in underserved areas of Alabama after graduation.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has insured Alabamians for over 87 years. Blue Cross offers coverage plans to corporations, individuals and the senior market. For more information about Blue Cross, visit AlabamaBlue.com. Connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.