The rural training track is rural medicine. The more an educational experience can be personalized to the learner's needs and teacher's strengths, the more effective it is likely to be. The physicians in Menomonie are experienced rural clinicians, and the rural training track residents receive individualized training. There is no competition with other residents for obstetrical and other surgical procedures. Residents are able to assist on major surgery for their own patients and do a large variety of procedures.
Residents cover a rural hospital emergency room during an emergency medicine rotation.
Moonlighting is available in the Myrtle Werth Hospital emergency room after completing the emergency medicine rotation. Because rural training track residents do not cover numerous hospital rotations in the second and third years, the resident's lifestyle mimics private practice. Follow-up on patients and their families is optimal in this situation. Most importantly, rural training track residents learn they can develop a rewarding and interesting rural practice without isolation, with rewarding lifestyles and with extended families as patients. They learn they can have excellent and courteous specialty back-up, use appropriate technology and develop skills to practice in a rural community.