Rural Residency, Definition

A rural training program in family medicine may be one of the following:
1. A "rural training track program" is a program with at least 50% of training based at a rural location.
2. An "integrated rural-located training track program" is one from which at least 50% of its graduates in the previous three years have chosen to practice in rural communities, or one that includes all of the following components:
  1. At least three rurally-located block months;
  2. A minimum of four months of obstetrics training, or the equivalent in longitudinal experience;
  3. A minimum of four months of pediatric training in an urban or suburban location;
  4. A minimum of three months of operative surgical training, or the equivalent in longitudinal experience;
  5. A minimum of two months of emergency medicine rotations; and
  6. A required rural public health experience.
A rurally located area is classified as one with a population of 50,000 persons or less (Rural-Urban Commuting Area – RUCA 4 or higher).

(2003)