Physician and non-physician practitioners continue to be attracted to an urban lifestyle and to higher paying jobs or employment with corporate medical enterprises. Family practice residents have not been immune to these powerful forces. Slightly over 30 percent of family practice residency graduates chose rural practice in 1980 and 1985, but in 1995 only 22 percent chose rural locations. The decision to embark on a rural practice takes place in a series of steps, including exposure to educational programs, discussions with peers, evaluation of personal choices, influences of medical faculty and a host of other factors. Medical education can facilitate or impede many of these steps.
Family medicine has a key role in the preparation of students and residents for rural practice.
The following summarizes key areas, supportive research and future trends in the development of family physicians who choose to practice in rural areas. A Mission for Rural Health . Few medical schools or residency programs have a mission for rural health. Admissions to Medical School . Medical schools must do more than a token evaluation of a candidate's desire to choose rural primary care.