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About Rural Medicine
Rural medicine allows for a broad-scope of practice in an environment with often limited resources. As a healthcare provider in a rural area, you face obstacles to care that can be very different from those you encounter in your suburban or urban training sites. These challenges range from workforce shortages to socioeconomic factors to geographic isolation.
The National Rural Health Association reports rural physician access is limited with the patient-to-primary care physician ratio in rural areas being 39.8 physicians for every 100,000 people. This ratio is 53.3:100,000 in urban areas. Specialty care is even less available with 30 specialists per 100,000 patients in rural areas as compared to 263 in urban areas. This poor access to specialty care allows for broad-scope primary care, including treating a variety of disease states and performing procedures not commonly done in urban primary care.
Socioeconomic factors affecting rural communities are plentiful. Rural Americans are more likely to live below the poverty line than their urban counterparts. Food insecurity is common with 18.9% of rural households with children lacking access to sufficient food, compared to 15.7% nationally. Transportation difficulties is a common challenge for rural residents and affects access to healthcare and early childhood intervention programs. Educational levels are lower with less rural residents having an associate’s degree or higher than residents of metropolitan counties. For more information regarding social determinants of health for rural Americans, visit the Rural Health Information Hub.
Rural Experiences for Medical Students
Know that you’re interested in rural medicine and want to find out more ways to get involved during your medical school experience? Check out the recorded information session that was held in October 2020.
Local/State Level
- Advocates for Rural Medicine – A student group at BSOM that hosts events introducing rural medicine topics including physician panels, student panels, etc.
- Ohio Rural Health Scholars Retreat – An annual event that happens each fall in Logan, OH.
- AHEC Summer Preceptorship Program – A summer preceptorship with a family physician that is completed the summer after the first year of medical school. The program gives a great introduction to family medicine and can allow for an early clinical experience in rural medicine.
National Level
- National Rural Health Association – A national organization that promotes leadership in rural medicine, advocates for rural health issues, hosts annual conferences, and provides resources to medical professionals and students interested in rural medicine.
- Rural away rotation opportunities for further rural exposure as an MS4
Looking Ahead
For more information about rural training in residency:
- Interested in family medicine? Rural residency training can be provided by many different formats. Check out The RTT Collaborative for more information.
- Inserted in general surgery? For more information about broad-based surgical training options for rural practice, visit the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.
For more information about future rural practice:
- Loan repayment options are widely available for rural physicians