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Working/Functional Title

Director of Rural Health

Position Summary

The Director of Rural Medicine Programs plays a key leadership role in the development, direction, and management of MSU-CHM’s rural medicine pathways, ensuring successful recruitment, admissions, and curricular programming for the Rural Community Health Program (RCHP), Rural Physician Program (RPP), and Rural Premedical Internship Program (R-PIPE). This position also provides faculty support, student mentorship, and coordinates outreach initiatives to enhance the college’s rural medicine efforts. The Director will collaborate closely with faculty, staff, and rural health partners to promote the mission of rural medicine, while also contributing to research and academic initiatives that improve rural health outcomes.

Roles and Responsibilities

45% Program Development and Leadership

• Direct and support the MSU-CHM Leadership in Rural Medicine programs, including the Rural Community Health Program (RCHP), Rural Physician Program (RPP), and Rural Premedical Internship Program (R-PIPE), covering recruitment, admissions, curricular and extracurricular programming, mentorship, and marketing.
• Develop and implement recruitment strategies for rural campus initiatives and the Leadership in Rural Medicine Programs.
• Collaborate within MSU-CHM’s rural campus system to foster partnerships with faculty, students, staff, rural health systems, and rural communities across Michigan.
• Support rural pre-matriculation programs by assisting with recruitment and programming initiatives that prepare students for rural medical education.
• Work collaboratively within MSU-CHM’s rural campus system to support partnerships with faculty, students, staff, rural health systems, and rural communities throughout the state.

35% Instruction, Mentorship, and Faculty Development

• Develop and direct all LRM certificate programming and courses and provide small group leadership for the RCHP cohort and R-PIPE program.
• Recruit and train faculty to support rural certificate programming and lead small group activities for RCHP and other rural-related courses.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to students in rural programs, ensuring their academic and professional development in rural medicine.
• Partner with the Director of Rural Mission Pathways to align and enhance shared programming.
• Serve as the Instructor of Record for all certificate programming and courses, as a small group RCHP leader, instructor for R-PIPE programming, and provide education re: rural disparities and rural medical education to all students.

20% Outreach, Partnerships, and Research

• Serve as a college representative to external partners including colleges and universities, students, health system partners, and communities to strengthen partnerships, develop shared initiatives, and advance the reputation of MSU-CHM’s Leadership in Rural Medicine Programs.
• Lead statewide and national outreach efforts, advocating for and raising awareness of MSU-CHM’s rural programs through scholarship, advocacy, and leadership.
• Collaborate with MSU-CHM Advancement to develop and promote rural scholarship opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Conduct research to advance the national reputation of MSU-CHM’s rural programming and improve rural healthcare education.
• Serve as a public-facing representative to advance the reputation of MSU-CHM’s rural programs through outreach, advocacy, and scholarship.
• Collaborate with health systems to develop and support rural residency opportunities, including MiDocs residency initiatives.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -MD, DO, PhD or equivalent advanced degree in a healthcare-related field; current licensure appropriate to their field

Minimum Requirements

Candidates must have a MD, DO, PhD or equivalent advanced degree in a healthcare-related field; current licensure appropriate to their field

Desired Qualifications

The candidate should have experience in medical education and demonstrate a commitment to student success, with expertise in supporting students at various performance levels. The ideal candidate should have a collaborative approach to academic governance, experience working with faculty teams, and the ability to build rapport with diverse students, faculty, and staff. Experience in rural healthcare or underserved communities is preferred.

Required Application Materials

Curriculum Vitae, Cover Letter/Letter of Interest, 3 Professional References 

Special Instructions

Application materials to be uploaded must include a statement of interest highlighting specific strengths related to this position and your interest in joining our team guided by this mission; curriculum vitae; and the names of four references (not to be contacted without the permission of the applicant). Interested individuals should apply online at careers.msu.edu. To ensure full consideration, please submit application materials by the close date of the position.

Review of Applications Begins On

11/28/2025

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Website

https://msururalhealth.chm.msu.edu/

Department Statement

The Michigan State University College of Human Medicine's (CHM) mission is to educate exemplary physicians and scholars, discover and disseminate new knowledge, and provide service at home and abroad. Foundational to our work is promoting the dignity and inclusion of all people and responding to the needs of the medically underserved.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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