Future Healers: Assessing Interests in Health Professions among Younger Individuals from Rural & Urban Communities

Background: The shortage of healthcare professionals in rural and underserved areas in the United States significantly impacts access to healthcare. Studies have identified many contributing factors but less is known about the role life experiences play in drawing healthcare workers into these communities. The experiences that influence students’ healthcare career decisions, especially sociodemographic background, remain underexplored. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating factors and experiences that shape undergraduate students’ healthcare aspirations and comparing differences among students fromrural and urban backgrounds. Methods: This study utilized a mixed-methods approach. Traditional undergraduate students (N=111) from 12 institutions across Indiana completed a Qualtrics survey including Likert scale items, rank order questions, and open-ended responses. Statistical analyses (Mann-Whitney U tests and independent t-tests) were used to compare anonymous responses between students who grew up in rural and urban environments. Qualitative responses were analyzed thematicallyusing Artificial Intelligence (AI). Results: Quantitative analysis revealed that rural students were significantly more influenced by family members working in healthcare (p = 0.044) and motivation to better their community (p = 0.046). Urban students reported higher influence from personal drive and mentorship. Across both groups, college coursework and clinical experiences reinforced students’ interest in health careers but were not primary motivators. For both groups, personal health-related experience was most commonly ranked as the top motivating factor. Qualitative findings supported these results. Rural students often stated witnessing community health needs and early healthcare exposure as key experiences influencing their decision. Urban students described the influence of structured programs, college mentorship, and volunteering. Across both groups, mentorship, hands-on experience, and early healthcare exposure were the most motivational experiences influencing students to choose a career in the health professions. Some students noted that college helped them redirect or clarify their career paths. Conclusions: Undergraduate students’ backgrounds influence their motivations to pursue healthcare careers, with rural students more driven by familial and community-oriented factors. Our findings suggest that experiences such as early exposure, mentorship, and localized outreach strategies, particularly those tailored by geography, may be crucial for healthcare workforce development. Addressing disparities in pre-health advising, clinical exposure, and information access is key to improving rural healthcare pipelines. Trial registration: Not applicable (no clinical intervention conducted).