Expanding Access and Advancing Education: A University-Based Mobile Health Program in Rural Communities

Rural health disparities remain a persistent challenge in the United States and globally, with shortages of health professionals, transportation barriers, and cultural complexities contributing to limited access to care. Nursing education, traditionally rooted in acute care, has been called to evolve toward community-based and interprofessional models of practice. This article describes the implementation and outcomes of a university-based Mobile Health Program designed to address rural health needs while enhancing student learning through interprofessional collaboration. Since its launch in 2015, the program has served nearly 18,000 patients, engaged more than 4,200 students across multiple disciplines, and provided over 23,000 hours of clinical and service-learning experiences. The program’s impact was particularly notable during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it played a leading role in administering vaccines to farmworkers and underserved rural populations. Lessons learned highlight the value of mobile health as both a service delivery and educational model.