UNC Health launches nation’s first rural OBGYN Fellowship
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New UNC School of Medicine Program Addresses Urgent Need to Improve Maternal Health
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – August 26, 2025 – UNC Health is the first healthcare institution in the nation to launch an Obstetrics and Gynecology Fellowship dedicated to rural women’s health. The new UNC School of Medicine program’s intent is not only to train physicians to provide high-quality care in rural settings but also to make it easier for women who live in North Carolina’s “maternity care deserts” to access the medical care they desperately need.
“Early and regular prenatal care is critical for reducing the risks of pregnancy and birth complications,” explains Dr. Kavita Arora, Director, UNC Rural Obstetrics and Gynecology Fellowship. “More than half of the women in rural North Carolina live more than 30 minutes away from a birthing hospital. That’s more than twice the distance compared to urban areas in the state. Our new OBGYN fellowship is a big step in the right direction to close that gap.”
The UNC Rural OBGYN Fellowship is a two-year program that will operate at two rural healthcare sites, UNC Health Rockingham and UNC Health Lenoir. UNC Health Rockingham is in Eden, N.C., and serves Rockingham, Guilford, Caswell, Pittsylvania, and Henry counties. UNC Health Lenoir is in Kinston, N.C., and serves Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties. The fellowship will follow a 50 percent clinical and 50 percent non-clinical academic structure.
“From office-based prenatal care to labor and delivery to gynecologic surgery, our medical fellows will provide hands-on care with patients as well as work on career development goals like quality training, healthcare finances, executive healthcare leadership development and research,” says Dr. Sachin Gupta, CMO for UNC Physicians Network. “They can also tap into the unparalleled resources offered within the UNC Health infrastructure across the state.”
The goal of this program is to ensure that fellowship graduates are not only able to provide clinical care in a rural health setting but also thrive as future leaders in rural health. The unique fellowship structure allows for the personalized tailoring of the non-clinical time to an individual’s professional development goals.
UNC is now accepting applications for the new fellowship. Interviews and selection will occur in a rolling fashion. More information about requirements and how to apply can be found at www.med.unc.edu/obgyn/education/fellowship/unc-rural-obstetrics-and-gynecology-fellowship.
About UNC Health
UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 20 hospitals and more than 900 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine.
UNC Health exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others we serve and to further the teaching and research mission of the UNC School of Medicine. UNC Health provided more than $800 million in Uncompensated Charity Care during the past five years. Our hospitals have received numerous awards and recognition for quality care, patient safety, and the overall patient experience. For more information, please visit unchealth.org.
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