Campbell University student Dr. Sophie Hockran has added another honor to her list of accolades as she works to serve people in underserved and rural communities, all the time working to fulfill the mission of the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Hockran won top honors in the Advocacy and Policy Research Poster Competition as part of DO Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on March 26. The title of her work was “TRUST: Targeted Review of Underutilized Solutions and Technologies in Rural Health Care.”
She also was recently named Campbell University Global Health Student of the Year.
According to the American Osteopathic Association, Hockran got the opportunity to present her most recent research on healthcare advocacy and policy to a broad osteopathic audience and use the platform to highlight contributions to the profession, engage with peers and leaders and help shape the future of osteopathic medicine.
DO Day, the AOA says, offers the opportunity to make a true impact on behalf of the osteopathic medical profession by advocating for policies and initiatives that will improve the lives of DOs, osteopathic medical students and patients.
The honor for Hockran speaks of her passion for rural health care policy. She earned a residency close to home, in Andover, Ohio, at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown, where she’ll study and work in general surgery.
Hockran said she has been fortunate to take part in several advocacy initiatives throughout her medical education, including mission trips and working to continue developing partnerships abroad.
Missions to the Dominican Republic and Guatemala were among the most recent trips for the Campbell medical school. This past summer, a Campbell team visited Ghana, in west Africa. Medical school students also stayed busy this past summer setting up clinics about once a month in local underserved areas. This includes places such as Siler City, Raleigh, Dunn, Goldsboro and Durham. The med school regularly utilizes its mobile clinics throughout Harnett County and other rural areas throughout North Carolina.
Hockran will graduate from the med school next month and then start her residency.
“I look forward to continuing my mission work and global health career after graduation,” she said. “Growing up in a rural community, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges of limited access to healthcare. I’ve seen vital rural health facilities close, even during critical times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hockran said the recent project, and the accompanying poster, gave her the opportunity to conduct an in-depth review of current healthcare policies and primary literature, allowing her to approach advocacy efforts from an evidence-based perspective.
“It’s clear that rural healthcare is in dire need of improvement. However, to make meaningful change, we must move beyond discussions and take concrete, actionable steps forward,” she said.
This poster originated about a year ago as she began working on rural health policy initiatives in North Carolina and Ohio, among other U.S. regions. The project’s primary goal was to synthesize current health policies and literature surrounding rural care, providing a comprehensive review to foster discussions on actionable solutions.
The aim of Hockran’s research was analyzing “current literature around rural healthcare policy and the relationship between community trust in local systems to identify effective strategies to improve healthcare access.
“Through this work, I’ve been able to advocate for increased funding for rural health programs, improved Medicare reimbursement, strengthening trust between rural communities and healthcare providers, and more,” she says.
The project has also led to the development of more detailed studies focused on specific, targeted solutions, she says.
“A critical gap in rural health policy is the lack of trust; these communities are often discussed, but rarely directly involved in the conversations that impact them. A key theme in my work is the importance of giving rural communities a sense of ownership and identity within the healthcare system.”
Campbell, Hockran says, is a top program in the country for developing and nurturing physicians to work in underserved and rural areas.
“It has been a key piece in the curriculum since I stepped foot on campus in 2021. They have given me tools and skills that I can take to rural areas to provide communities with the care they deserve.
“I want to become a rural surgeon to serve communities that are often forgotten about. Youngstown is a short drive from my small town in rural Ohio and will allow me to continue to advocate for my rural community while I continue my training.”
Hockran, in another form of training, is an avid powerlifter, competing in Olympic-style events.
“It has been a great stress relief during the business of medical school,” she says of her weight-training journey. “I’m excited to continue to compete and lift through residency.”