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Ready to Go Rural: Future Physicians Receive Hands-On Experience
It's no secret that demand is high for quality health care providers in small towns and rural communities across the country. Yet, the supply often falls short. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates the country will be short 90,000 doctors over all fields in the next 10 years.
In light of National Rural Health Day Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013, Mayo Clinic Health System celebrates a unique approach that bridges medical teaching with potential recruitment for future physicians. The Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) at the University of Minnesota gives third-year medical students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop relationships with patients and providers in a rural setting. Students seeking a career in family medicine are submersed in the culture of a rural clinic or hospital for nine months instead of a six-week rotation in a metro area.
Read news release.