RURAL HEALTH THAT MEETS COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE
The Marco Mobile Medical Unit launched in fall 2025.
Workforce development remains a cornerstone of this effort. Marshall supports 29 residency and fellowship programs, including rural training in general surgery, psychiatry and internal medicine. This strengthens the pipeline of clinicians who are equipped to practice in rural settings and more likely to stay in the region.
Across West Virginia, rural communities face distinct health care needs shaped by geography, workforce availability and population health trends. Marshall Health Network and the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine address those needs through an approach that integrates care delivery, education, research and outreach directly to the communities they serve.
Where someone lives should not determine the quality of care, which is why Marshall approaches rural health not as an initiative but as a guiding principle across its work. That commitment is reflected in Marshall’ s four Centers of Wellness— rural health and primary care; addiction and behavioral health; obesity and diabetes; and gerontology and healthy aging— which align clinical care, education and community outreach around the needs of West Virginians. Together, the centers focus on preventing and managing chronic disease, improving access to specialty care and advancing evidence-based solutions that improve population health across the region.
“ Rural health requires solutions that are developed with communities, not just delivered to them,” says Adam M. Franks, M. D., vice dean for rural health at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.“ By training providers in rural settings, advancing research and working in partnership with local organizations, we can build care models that are both effective and lasting.”
Dr. Cisco-Goff( right) trains rural surgery residents.
Innovative care models further support this work. Mobile medicine, telehealth and community-based clinics bring primary, preventive and specialty care closer to home, while programs addressing addiction, recovery and workforce participation demonstrate the impact of integrated, community-driven solutions. Work is also underway to establish a community health institute that will house the Centers of Wellness, creating a shared hub for collaboration, research and innovation that supports healthier communities across West Virginia.
Congratulations
DR. LARRY DIAL!
Chief Physician Executive Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs & Associate Professor
West Virginia Executive 2026 Health Care Hall of Fame Recipient