Typically for fourth year medical students or other health professions students who are in the elective portion of their education, Hale County Hospital offers a unique community health leadership rotation. The elective is intended to help future community health leaders gain a deeper understanding of how they can blend clinical practice, work in broader health systems, and involvement in community health initiatives to improve the health and quality of life of individual patients, improve population health, and make change to strengthen local communities.

Rotating students spend approximately 50% of their time working with and learning from Hale County Hospital’s outstanding clinician/teachers in clinical settings (family medicine and mental health clinics, emergency room, and inpatient settings), approximately 10-20% of their time participating in and learning about broader activities in our health system (EMS, home health, lab, hospital leadership/administration, transition of care programs, nursing, and physical therapy), and approximately 30-40% of their time participating in and learning about some of our region’s very strong community health organizations and initiatives (tutoring/mentoring programs for elementary school students, health career preparedness programs for high school students, range of programs for seniors/adults living with mental illness/other vulnerable adults including community center, housing, & health partners programs, exercise & fitness programs, and farming, food, & nutrition programs.

A sample schedule and overall curriculum is located at the bottom of this page.

If interested in the Community Health Leadership Elective, please reach out to fellows@halecohosp.com and refer to the FAQ section for instructions on how to set up a preceptorship.

Hale County Hospital offers medical students and health professions students clinical clerkship opportunities in family medicine. Students will work with our outstanding clinician/teachers at our two outpatient clinics (Greensboro and Moundville). In addition, interested students may gain experience working alongside our providers on Hale County Hospital’s inpatient and emergency medicine programs that provide a unique insight into rural community medicine. Spots for core rotations are limited. Students and/or schools should reach out early in order to secure a core rotation spot.

If interested in a family medicine rotation, please reach out to fellows@halecohosp.com and refer to the FAQ section for instructions on how to set up a preceptorship.

Hale County Hospital offers medical students and health professions students clinical clerkship opportunities in child and or adult psychiatry. A psychiatry rotation with us can include experience in an outpatient psychiatry clinic, time in an inpatient psychiatry setting, experience with nursing home patients, and opportunities to work within community mental health care. By rotating through all of these settings, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of community mental health and psychiatry rotations in rural areas. Spots for core rotations are limited. Students and/or schools should reach out early in order to secure a core rotation spot.

If interested in a psychiatry rotation, please reach out to fellows@halecohosp.com and refer to the FAQ section for instructions on how to set up a preceptorship.

1. How to precept at Hale Count Hospital? - Please follow the following directions on how to secure a rotation with Hale County Hospital.

Point of Contact: Reach out to fellows@halecohosp.com to inquire about availability of spots. All communication and paperwork should go through fellows@halecohosp.com. They will put you in contact with your assigned preceptor.

What to Include in Initial Email: Please include name, school, program type (MD, PA, RN, CRNP, etc.), preceptorship type, and any potential dates for the rotation. If the student has a specific provider with which they want to work, this too should be included.

Timeline: Getting paperwork in order can be an extended process. We ask that students reach out to us (fellows@halecohosp.com) at least 3 months in advance of when they would like to precept. Spots fill up quickly and are currently first come, first serve. If for some reason you cannot meet this 3 month deadline and are interested in doing a preceptorship at Hale County Hospital, please still contact us to see if there are any available spots during your desired time period.

Paperwork: It is the student’s responsibility to send us paperwork in a timely and efficient manner. We ask that students work with their advisors and clinical instructors to ensure that they are provided all the required paperwork. Any and all paperwork required by the student’s institution should be sent to fellows@halecohosp.com at the earliest point possible. This allows us time to coordinate with our staff and departments to complete the paperwork prior to your preceptorship.

2. Will there be housing available for students? - Yes, to secure housing during your stay, please contact sarah.hallmark@projecthsf.org. Available housing options involve shared housing with other young, health-focused students.

3. At which HCH locations can students precept? - Students have the opportunity to rotate at Hale County Hospital in our Emergency Department and Inpatient Wing as well as our two clinic locations - Hale County Hospital Clinic in Greensboro and Moundville Medical Associates in Moundville. Where students are placed will depend on student preferences, availability and institutional requirements. We will work with programs to ensure that students can meet the requirements of their school.

4. What should I bring to my preceptorship? - We suggest students bring a badge/ID to wear. We ask students please wear business casual or scrubs (as long as the scrubs do not have any other hospital logos embroidered on it) and closed toed shoes. Students should also bring a laptop, a notebook, and pen. There are lunch options in Hale County, but they are not within walking distance of the clinical locations so we suggest students bring their own lunch and water. A packing list can also be provided to students as requested.

5. Why should I do a rotation through Hale County Hospital? -

• We take pride in providing top-quality training to future healthcare leaders.

• We offer a hands-on experience.

• Learn how to immerse yourself in the different aspects of community health.

• Live among a group of young people working to improve our community’s health.

• Get to see rural health care in action.

• Be part of a culture that puts relationship building at the forefront of medicine.

6. What is there to do in Greensboro? - Greensboro, AL is a town on the rise. Though it’s size is small, it’s energy is immense. Any given night you can find people playing pickleball, eating at one of the delicious restaurants in town and attending events like bingo, trivia, karaoke, or local musical performances. Greensboro is home to many students through Auburn’s Rural Studios architecture program and Project Horseshoe Farm’s Community Health fellowship for recent graduates. Health professions’ students will have structured opportunities to get to know other young people in town through pickleball evenings, ultimate frisbee gatherings, and having a shared commitment to improving the community in which they are living.

7. Who do I contact with questions? - Please reach out to fellows.halecohosp.com for any questions or inquiries.