Recruiting the next generation of rural healthcare practitioners: the impact of an online mentoring program on career and educational goals in rural youth.

This study suggests that online mentoring can direct rural youths' career interests toward, and provide a refreshing approach to imparting information about, healthcare professions. Although its longitudinal impacts need to be studied, the changes in attitudes and gains in knowledge observed while participating in this program put these students on the right track for eventually transitioning to health science programs. Arming rural youth with the knowledge and motivation to pursue healthcare careers through near-peer mentorship could be a unique strategy for increasing rural student representation in health science programs, and ultimately the number of rural healthcare professionals.