UNC's New Medical School to Partner with EPHC to Improve Rural Health
- mitchlaird3
- Jun 12
- 1 min read
Eastern Plains Healthcare Consortium (EPHC) was proud to be mentioned in a recent CPR News article announcing the University of Northern Colorado’s plans to open a new medical school focused on training physicians to serve rural areas.
The new school has made rural clinical experience a cornerstone of its curriculum. As part of this commitment, students will complete rotations at EPHC member hospitals throughout eastern Colorado.
This collaboration represents more than a training opportunity — it’s a long-term investment in Colorado’s rural healthcare future.
“By embedding students directly into our hospitals, we’re not just filling gaps temporarily — we’re building a workforce that understands, values, and chooses rural healthcare,” said Zac D’Argonne, CEO of EPHC.
The partnership offers mutual benefits:
For students: Immersive exposure to real-world rural practice, meaningful patient-provider relationships, and experience with broad-scope clinical decision-making.
For EPHC member hospitals: A stronger recruitment pipeline, fresh energy and perspective from learners, and the opportunity to shape future providers who are trained with the needs of their communities in mind.
This is one more way EPHC is working to advance independent rural healthcare through shared resources, collaborative solutions, and innovative partnerships.
To stay up to date with EPHC’s initiatives and progress, follow us on LinkedIn or visit easternplainshealth.org.
