Rural physician supply has remained relatively stable over the past decade, but its future is threatened by reduced medical student interest in family medicine careers and a declining residency match rate. This 2007 survey of all U.S. family medicine residency programs found that 33 rural programs accounted for over 80% of family medicine training occurring in rural sites, although some urban programs offer rural training tracks. Expansion of rural family medicine training is limited by Medicare graduate medical education funding caps on residency slots, financial hardships facing rural hospitals, and the challenges of creating residency training programs.

Publications

• The Availability of Family Medicine Residency Training in Rural Locations of the United States
  Policy Brief
  WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 06/2009
  Family physicians constitute the largest proportion of the rural primary care physician workforce, yet declining student interest in rural family medicine may worsen rural primary care shortages.
• Family Medicine Residency Training in Rural Locations (Final Report)
  WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 07/2010
  This survey of family medicine residency programs found 33 rural programs accounted for more than 80% of family medicine training in rural sites. Expansion of rural family medicine training is limited by Medicare graduate medical education funding caps, financial hardships facing rural hospitals, and the challenges of creating programs.