Employee, grad and student receive statewide rural health awards
Janet Hinton, director of rural outreach at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM), was one of three people associated with the school who received awards from a statewide health organization on Nov. 12.
The West Virginia Rural Health Association (WVRHA) presented Hinton with the Debbie Curry Opportunity and Innovation Award during its annual conference in Morgantown, W.Va. The association’s mission is to unite people, communities and organizations to strengthen rural health in the state.
The award, named for a longtime supporter of rural health equity who passed away in 2025, is given to an individual who demonstrates a commitment to advocating for health care access to all West Virginians; leadership in developing innovative ideas and programs to engage rural populations; and a commitment to breaking down disparities to provide ample opportunities for rural communities to thrive, with special consideration given to nominees working in health professions pipeline programs.
Hinton said she is proud to receive the recognition.
“I’m honored that my colleagues felt I was worthy of this award,” she said. “I cried when I first found out because I couldn’t believe it. Debbie was my friend and colleague for at least 20 years. She was like a mentor to me, so receiving an award named for her is deeply touching. Her leadership helped shape my own work and gave me ideas that influenced the programs I helped develop.”
Hinton, who is treasurer and a past president of the WVRHA’s Board of Directors in addition to her work with WVSOM, helped establish pipeline programs that are still in place at the medical school today. She developed the Rural Health Initiative’s (RHI) Green Coat Program, which allows undergraduate students at certain West Virginia colleges to get an early glimpse of what it’s like to work in a hospital. Hinton also helped expand the Pre-Osteopathic Medicine Program, which gives qualified undergraduates a direct path to acceptance to WVSOM upon completion of program requirements.
Hinton was selected as WVSOM’s President’s Outstanding Employee of the Year in 2017 and became the school’s director of rural outreach in 2018. In that role, she works with WVSOM’s Rural and International Medicine Center and other school organizations while promoting graduate education, emergency medicine education and wilderness medicine programs. Hinton also works with county and state organizations that promote rural health to help alleviate health care disparities.
One of the most rewarding aspects of her work has been seeing high school students she encouraged become physicians in a state experiencing a provider scarcity, she said.
“Watching them complete the journey from high school to medical practice in West Virginia has made all the work worthwhile,” Hinton said. “It’s especially important because the state continues to face shortages in health care professions, including physicians, nurses and EMS personnel. Reaching students early is one of the best ways to address those shortages.”
Caleb Duncan, D.O., a WVSOM Class of 2025 graduate, received the WVRHA’s Outstanding Resident Award. Duncan is a family medicine resident at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC).
The award recognizes a medical resident affiliated with a West Virginia graduate medical education program who has demonstrated a commitment to rural health; clinical excellence in rural health care delivery; contributions through research, quality improvement or community initiatives; and a dedication to serving rural patients and communities.
Duncan said growing up in a small coal-mining town in Boone County, W.Va., showed him the importance of rural primary care physicians.
“I have lived through the same hardships as my patients,” he said. “I’m grateful for my time at WVSOM and for its Rural Health Initiative program, which gave me the opportunity to better understand and appreciate the daily lives of West Virginians. In addition, the CAMC family medicine residency has allowed me to stay close to home and work alongside patients from my community. I hope to inspire students from rural areas to pursue their dreams and continue serving as a role model for future generations.”
Morgan Christian, of WVSOM’s Class of 2028, received the WVRHA’s Outstanding Rural Health Student Award. Christian is vice president of the National Student Executive Board of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.
This award recognizes a student enrolled in a West Virginia college or university who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to rural health; engagement in clinical service, research, outreach or volunteer efforts related to rural health; initiative and leadership among peers; and dedication to a career in rural health.
Christian, whose passion for rural health extends to the West Virginia 4-H program, where she educates young people on the topic of vaping prevention, said she was honored to receive the award.
“I’m proud to represent WVSOM and the rural communities that have shaped me in ways no medical textbook ever could. I remain passionate about educating, connecting with and caring for the people of West Virginia, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve my fellow Mountaineers,” she said.