Each year, the West Virginia Rural Health Conference celebrates the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and organizations in the field of rural health.
These awards are granted to individuals or organizations deserving of recognition for their rural health efforts in West Virginia.
In addition, awards may be granted to an individual in a non-health related position, who has carried out exemplary work in promoting health in rural areas; i.e., a physical education teacher who has adopted a unique approach to addressing physical inactivity within their classroom; a minister or faith-based person leading a healthy lifestyle program with a rural congregation; or a private entrepreneur who developed a unique software/app to impact healthy behaviors.
Please use the form below to submit your nominations for these awards. Please include your name, your contact information, nominee’s name, nominee’s contact information, and a brief narrative (250 words or less) about why you are nominating this individual or organization for an award.
Individual award winners will receive a complimentary registration to the WV Rural Health Conference.
Please see past award winners by clicking here.
We wish to maximize the number of honorees, so award winners from the past five years are ineligible to receive an award.
WVRHA Award for Excellence in Rural Health (Individual)
This award is given to an individual in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to the improvement of health to the people in rural West Virginia. It honors creative work of particular effectiveness in applying knowledge or innovative organizational work to the betterment of community health.
Individuals nominated for the award will have made significant and well recognized contributions to the improvement of rural health in West Virginia.
WVRHA Award for Excellence in Rural Health (Organization)
This award is given to an organization or program in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to the improvement of health for people in rural West Virginia. It honors creative or innovative work in applying knowledge or practice for the betterment of community health.
Organizations nominated for the award will have made significant and well recognized contributions to the improvement of rural health in West Virginia.
WVRHA Outstanding Rural Health Provider Award
This award recognizes a direct service provider who has exhibited outstanding leadership in the improvement of health care services to the rural areas of West Virginia.
The nominees can include any healthcare provider from any discipline including, but not limited to, physicians, physician associates, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, social workers, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, psychologists.
WVRHA Outstanding Rural Health Student Award
This award recognizes a student who has initiated and performed extraordinarily within the field of rural health. The nominee will have significant accomplishments in rural health. Efforts may include clinical, infrastructure development, research, promotional or volunteer activities. Students must be enrolled in a college or university in West Virginia.
WVRHA Outstanding Resident Award
This award recognizes a resident who has initiated and performed extraordinarily within the field of rural health. The nominee will have significant accomplishments in rural health. Efforts may include clinical, infrastructure development, research, promotional, or volunteer activities. Residents must be affiliated with a graduate medical education program based in West Virginia.
Dr. Bob Foster Award for Excellence in Health Professions Education
This award honors the legacy of Dr. Bob Foster who has worked to educate and train thousands of medical students and residents throughout his more than four-decade career at WV School of Osteopathic Medicine.
This award recognizes faculty who exhibit extraordinary commitment to training the next generation of the rural health workforce in WV. The nominee will have made significant contributions to education, mentorship, and student success. Nominees for this award must be actively engaged in the education of students in health professions and be affiliated with a college or university within West Virginia. This award is open to all disciplines within healthcare including, but not limited to, public health, medicine, nursing, social work, nutrition/dietetics, psychology, dentistry/oral health, pharmacy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.
WVRHA Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This award is given in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare in WV. This award honors individuals or organizations that endeavor to promote equitable access to healthcare resources by individuals from minority backgrounds. We seek to celebrate those working to create a more just healthcare system for individuals from minority backgrounds living in WV.
This award is given to an individual in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to the improvement of health to the people in rural West Virginia. It honors creative work of particular effectiveness in applying knowledge or innovative organizational work to the betterment of community health.
Individuals nominated for the award will have made significant and well recognized contributions to the improvement of rural health in West Virginia.
This award is given to an organization or program in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to the improvement of health for people in rural West Virginia. It honors creative or innovative work in applying knowledge or practice for the betterment of community health.
Organizations nominated for the award will have made significant and well recognized contributions to the improvement of rural health in West Virginia.
This award recognizes a direct service provider who has exhibited outstanding leadership in the improvement of health care services to the rural areas of West Virginia.
The nominees can include any healthcare provider from any discipline including, but not limited to, physicians, physician associates, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, social workers, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, psychologists.
This award recognizes extraordinary student initiated and performed activity demonstrated within the field of rural health. The nominee will have significant accomplishments in rural health. Efforts may include clinical, infrastructure development, research, promotional or volunteer activities. Students must be enrolled in a college or university in West Virginia.
This award recognizes extraordinary resident initiated and performed activity demonstrated within the field of rural health. The nominee will have significant accomplishments in rural health. Efforts may include clinical, infrastructure development, research, promotional, or volunteer activities. Residents must be affiliated with a graduate medical education program based in West Virginia.
This award honors the legacy of Dr. Bob Foster who has worked to educate and train thousands of medical students and residents throughout his more than four-decade career at WV School of Osteopathic Medicine.
This award recognizes faculty who exhibit extraordinary commitment to training the next generation of the rural health workforce in WV. The nominee will have made significant contributions to education, mentorship, and student success. Nominees for this award must be actively engaged in the education of students in health professions and be affiliated with a college or university within West Virginia. This award is open to all disciplines within healthcare including, but not limited to, public health, medicine, nursing, social work, nutrition/dietetics, psychology, dentistry/oral health, pharmacy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.
This award is given in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare in WV. This award honors individuals or organizations that endeavor to promote equitable access to healthcare resources by individuals from minority backgrounds. We seek to celebrate those working to create a more just healthcare system for individuals from minority backgrounds living in WV.
This award is given to an individual in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to the improvement of health to the people in rural West Virginia. It honors creative work of particular effectiveness in applying knowledge or innovative organizational work to the betterment of community health.
Individuals nominated for the award will have made significant and well recognized contributions to the improvement of rural health in West Virginia.
This award is given to an organization or program in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to the improvement of health for people in rural West Virginia. It honors creative or innovative work in applying knowledge or practice for the betterment of community health.
Organizations nominated for the award will have made significant and well recognized contributions to the improvement of rural health in West Virginia. The WV Rural Health Association will provide a $500 cash award to the recipient of this award.
This award recognizes a direct service provider who has exhibited outstanding leadership in the improvement of health care services to the rural areas of West Virginia.
The nominees can include any healthcare provider from any discipline including, but not limited to, physicians, physician associates, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, social workers, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, psychologists.
This award recognizes extraordinary student initiated and performed activity demonstrated within the field of rural health. The nominee will have significant accomplishments in rural health. Efforts may include clinical, infrastructure development, research, promotional or volunteer activities. The West Virginia Rural Health Association will provide a $1,000 cash award to the Outstanding Rural Health Student of the Year.
This award is given in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare in WV. This award honors individuals or organizations that endeavor to promote equitable access to healthcare resources by individuals from minority backgrounds. We seek to celebrate those working to create a more just healthcare system for individuals from minority backgrounds living in WV. The West Virginia Rural Health Association will provide a $1,000 cash award to the recipient of this award.
