About

The Research and Education Foundation was established in 2021 to:

(A) Further the public interest by conducting or promoting research and the role RHCs play in improving access to quality health care; public policy issues affecting Rural Health Clinics and their ability to provide quality health care and the economic viability of Rural Health Clinics.

(B) Provide financial support to Medical students and/or residents, Physician Assistant students or Nurse Practitioner students or such other health professionals deemed appropriate by the Foundation Board, seeking to undertake clinical rotations in federally certified Rural Health Clinics.

The REF is a 501(c)(3) subsidiary of NARHC incorporated in Michigan.

Quest for Rural Experience Scholarships

The National Association of Rural Health Clinics Research and Education Foundation administers the Quest for Rural Experience Scholarship Program. These scholarships provide direct scholarships to Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant/Associate students completing clinical rotations in federally-certified Rural Health Clinics.

Quest for Rural Experience scholarships are $3,000 awards provided directly to students to assist in covering various expenses they may incur during their rotations, including housing, transportation, and other educational expenses.

NARHC REF is proud to do our part in supporting the next generation of the health care workforce! To learn more about our awarded scholars, please visit NARHC social media. 

Applications for the fall semester will be due August 1, and spring semester applications will be accepted through January 1.

Quest for Rural Experience Scholars

Clare Two Lance, Spring 2026, Vanderbilt University, NP Program

Jaydin Decker, Spring 2026, University of North Dakota, PA Program

Erika Tovar Martinez, University of Florida, NP Program

Cara Heuer, University of Iowa, PA Program

Hailey Kraft, Fall 2025, University of Nevada, Reno, PA Program

Tony Chevalier, Fall 2025, Northwestern State University, NP Program

Kristen Peterson, Fall 2025, University of Kentucky, PA Program

Annie Gatzke, Fall 2025, North Dakota State University, NP Program

Kenady Hall, Fall 2025, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, PA Program

Spencer Haire, Spring 2025, University of Florida, Family Health Nurse Practitioner Program

Meredith Fischer, Fall 2024, University of Florida, DNP-FNP Program

Interested in donating to the Research and Education Foundation? Donate here!

REF Board Members

Bill Finerfrock
John Gill
Barry Martin
Kelsey Beggs-King
Elizabeth Ellis
Shannon Chambers
Aubrey Haynes

RHC Research and Publicly Available Data Website

In August 2024, the National Association of Rural Health Clinics Research and Education Foundation formally launched the website www.RHCdata.org. The goal of the website is to provide national level data to policymakers, researchers, and the RHC community to better inform the general public about the Rural Health Clinic program. Data on the website include:

1-CPT codes billed to Medicare
2-Analysis of RHC openings and closures
3-RHC Cost Report Data

The REF partnered with the Maine Rural Health Resource Center, the National Center for Analysis of Healthcare Data, and Wipfli to provide this data to the general public.

For more information on NARHC REF funding, research, and partnership opportunities, please contact REF Executive Director, Sarah Hohman at Sarah.Hohnman@narhc.org.