NATCHEZ — As a participant in the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program, John “Cory” Coleman presented his community needs assessment poster of Natchez at the annual Mississippi Rural Health Association meeting.

His graphic portrayal of local data presented the demographic, economic, educational, cultural and medical environment of the community. The purpose of the assessment is to illustrate the geographic disparities in access to health care in rural Mississippi. John’s travel expenses were provided by the Office of Tobacco Control. He is the son of Jessie and Cindy Coleman of Natchez, and a student at Alcorn University.

MRPSP is an innovative, longitudinal program that identifies rural college sophomores who aspire to return to their roots to practice medicine and subsequently “grooms” them into competent, competitive medical students.