The Rural and Underserved Clinical Rotations (RUCR) grant program, authorized by Minnesota Statutes Sec 144.1505, is established to award health professional training site grants to eligible physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, pharmacy, dentistry, dental therapy, and mental health professional programs to augment existing clinical training programs to add rural and underserved rotations or clinical training experiences, such as credential or certificate rural tracks or other specialized training.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/31/2024
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
For physician and dentist training, the expanded training must include rotations in primary care settings such as community clinics, hospitals, health maintenance organizations, or practices in rural communities.
The following training program types are eligible to apply for funding:

Physician,
Physician assistant,
Advanced practice registered nurse,
Pharmacy,
Dentistry,
Dental therapy, and
Mental health professional programs.

Funding Information

MDH anticipates awarding $1,500,000 through approximately 4-6 grants in this funding cycle.
Estimated Award Maximum: $400,000.

Grant Period
September 1, 2024 – August 31, 2025.
Eligible Expenses
Grant funds may be used to cover the cost of:

establishing or expanding rotations and clinical training;
recruitment, training, and retention of students and faculty;
connecting students with appropriate clinical training sites, internships, practicums, or externship activities;
travel and lodging for students;
faculty, student, and preceptor salaries, incentives, or other financial support;
development and implementation of cultural competency training;
evaluations;
training site improvements, fees, equipment, and supplies required to establish, maintain, or expand a training program; and
supporting clinical education in which trainees are part of a primary care team model.

Eligible Applicants 
The following types of clinical training programs located in Minnesota are eligible to apply for this funding:

Advanced Practice Registered Nursing Program

Must be accredited as a master’s, doctoral, or postgraduate level advanced practice registered nursing program by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or present a credible plan as a candidate for accreditation.

Dental Program

Must be a dental education program or dental residency training program currently accredited by the accrediting body or present a credible plan as a candidate for accreditation.
Expanded training must include rotations in primary care settings such as community clinics, hospitals, health maintenance organizations, or practices in rural communities.

Dental Therapy Education Program or Advanced Dental Therapy Education Program

Must be approved by the Minnesota Board of Dentistry, or currently accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

Mental Health Professional Program

Must be accredited and listed as a mental health professional program by the appropriate accrediting body for clinical social work, psychology, marriage and family therapy, or licensed professional clinical counseling, or present a credible plan as a candidate for accreditation.
A mental health professional is defined as an individual providing clinical services in the treatment of mental illness who meets one of the qualifications under MN Statutes Sec. 245I.04, subdivision.

Pharmacy Program

Must be accredited as a Doctor of Pharmacy program by the Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education.

Physician Residency Training Program

Must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or appropriate accrediting body or present a credible plan as a candidate for accreditation.
Expanded training must include rotations in primary care settings such as community clinics, hospitals, health maintenance organizations, or practices in rural communities.

Physician Assistant Program

Must be accredited as a physician assistant program by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant or present a credible plan as a candidate for accreditation.

For more information, visit MDH.