Analyzing emerging trends influencing rural health in North Carolina and evaluate at least three major challenges facing rural communities—including workforce shortages, access barriers, and related systemic factors—to inform evidence-based strategies for improvement.

Evaluating North Carolina’s strategy for advancing rural transformation by summarizing the Office of Rural Health’s priorities for strengthening rural health systems and assessing how policy, funding mechanisms, and community partnerships collectively support sustainable transformation efforts 

Comparing and contrasting innovative care models that improve outcomes in rural communities by outlining emerging or expanded approaches—such as telehealth, mobile clinics, and nurse led clinics—and differentiating their impacts on access and quality.

Formulating strategies to reinforce the rural health workforce by integrating approaches for pipeline development with supports for rural students, skill building for current nurses, and expansion of advanced practice roles.