More than 65 million people in the U.S. live in a Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area, as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It would take more than 17,000 practitioners to meet their need for primary care providers. Family physicians are more likely than any others to enter rural practice and are in the best position to answer this call.
Students interested in family medicine should consider experiencing and possibly practicing in a rural or underserved community. Family physicians who practice in rural communities serve as the hub of primary care in their communities. Their scope of practice is broad and often includes obstetrics and perinatal care, telemedicine, emergency medicine and more.
The following resources include opportunities for rual rotations and experiences, as well as national loan repayment programs for serving in underserved communities and further information about the need for this kind of community health care.
Rural and Urban Underserved Health Opportunities for Students
-- Rotations and preceptorships in rural health, loan repayment programs and more for medical students interested in getting experience or serving in rural and urban underserved communities.
National Rural Health Association
-- NRHA is a national membership organization whose mission is to improve the health and health care of rural Americans and to provide leadership on rural issues through advocacy, communications, education and research. Site offers educational resources, association products, journal article abstracts and links to NRHA state chapters.
National Health Service Corps
-- The NHSC provides clinicians with financial support in the form of loan repayment and scholarships for working in communities with limited access to care across the country. The organization is a product of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
National Area Health Education Center Organization
-- Area Health Education Centers' (AHEC) initiatives include health careers recruitment and preparation, as well as health and community development. The national organization supports the AHEC network, striving to improve the health of individuals and communities by transforming health care through education.
National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network
-- This network of not-for-profit organizations helps health professionals find jobs in rural and underserved areas of the country.
AAFP Rural Health Resources
AAFP Rural Family Physician Resources
-- This is the AAFP's community for family physicians, health care providers and others who serve the nation's rural families. The community includes profiles of rural family physicians, statistics and demographics on rural practice, topics in rural medicine, AAFP policies and position papers and more.
AAFP Rural Health Links
-- Includes links to organizations and resources on rural health.
