“Growing our own primary-care physicians” is the motto of JanieGuice, executive director of the Mississippi Rural PhysiciansScholarship Program.

And when Kenny Goza, the chairman of the Mississippi Scholarsprogram in Brookhaven, heard of her and her mission to recruitrural physicians, he jumped at the chance to learn about theprogram.

That chance came last year when Goza met Guice to learn about herprogram for students with medical aspirations in Mississippi ruralareas.

“I think it’s awesome,” Goza said of the program. “We’ve worked outa really nice partnership where she’s out trying to identify thestudents early with a desire and want to go into medical school.And when we have a referral for her, she will get in contact withthem.”

Goza looks out for students in colleges and high schools around thearea to refer to Guice who informs the students of theprogram.

“If I had a Kenny Goza in every rural town throughout the state,then my job would be so much easier,” Guice said. “My job is toplant that seed in high school students, and they’re fertilizingthe ground for me down there in Brookhaven.”

Guice then travels the state searching for high school students whomay have an interest in going to medical school and informs them ofher program and the incentives it can offer.

She came to Lincoln County last week to visit West LincolnAttendance Center.

“She can’t do anything but make contact in high school,” Goza saidof Guice’s influence, “but when they get to be a sophomore incollege, she begins to feed them into the medical programs.”

Guice’s program, adopted by the state legislature in 2007, providesearly acceptance into medical school for interested collegesophomores in exchange for high grades as well as a commitment topractice four years in a rural area primary-care clinic.

In addition, through state funds and private donations, the costfor medical school is virtually free, according to Guice.

“It’s a huge financial aid package for college,” Guice said. “Eachstudent accepted into this program receives $30,000 per year.

“Students come out free and clear of debt, unlike most UMC(University of Mississippi Medical Center) students who leave withmedical school debt and undergraduate debt. (This program) takesaway that fear of going into debt when you’re thinking aboutmedical school.”

“It’s really an amazing thing for families who absolutely could notafford to put their child, who is interested in med school, throughmed school,” Goza said.

The program received an award at the American Academy of Physiciansbanquet in September 2010 for best program, and Guice said theattention was due to what Mississippi does that no other programsdo.

“What really caught the national eye is the undergrad program,” shesaid. “Other states were only throwing money at students whoalready got themselves into medical school. So we’re really tryingto grow our own physicians here in Mississippi.”

Guice said the program saw 10 scholars in its first year in 2007,and that number has steadily increased to 42 this year. She returnsto the legislature each year to ask for more money to help fund theprogram and get more students in line.

The need for primary-care physicians in rural areas is importantbecause, according to Goza, Mississippi has the fewest physiciansper capita in the nation, and more than half of licensed physicianspractice in only 10 of 82 counties.

“Not only would this help older physicians in these areas retire,”she said, “but it would help prevent someone from having to take aloved one a long distance to a hospital for a problem that couldhave been taken care of at a local clinic.”

Guice touted Goza’s efforts for encouraging some of LincolnCounty’s students when she was invited to the Mississippi Scholarsprogram’s recognition dinner last year.

“I was a college recruiter for 25 years before this,” she said,”and it just blew my socks off to see the elaborate effort they dofor their high school students. Nowhere in south Mississippi or inthe South in general have I seen anything like their effort andpride for their students, and the pride that the students have forthemselves.”