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Rural
Family Medicine Track Curriculum Overview
Purpose
Though it is readily apparent that a physician practicing in a rural setting must be clinically competent and have procedural expertise, understanding the role a physician plays in the community and the unique qualities of a rural lifestyle are equally important. Developing the ability to be "community-responsive" in order to respond to the identified health issues of the community and become a partner in finding ways to address them is critical to the survival of rural health care delivery in many communities.
Statistics from the State Office of Rural Community Affairs indicate that 24 of the 196 rural counties in Texas have no physician. In addition, most of these 196 counties are federally designated medically underserved areas (MUA's) and many contain areas designated health professional shortage areas (HPSA's).
Within this context, the Department of Family and Community Health has created the Rural Family Medicine Track to provide students with opportunities for exposure to and experience in rural medicine to prepare them for family practice in a rural community.
Goals
1.To increase the number of students who elect to enter family practice in a rural setting.
2. To increase the number of students who choose to participate in a rural medicine educational experience.
3. To increase the students' competence in the use of electronic information access via National Library of Medicine databases and other Internet sources.
4. To provide exposure to and experience of family medicine as it is practiced in a rural setting.
5. To produce a physician with a "community responsive" orientation.
Curriculum
Overview
The Rural Track consists of components from several Department
of Family and Community Health courses. Service-learning in the form of community
activities and involvement is integrated throughout Track experiences.
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Description
|
Length
|
Timing
|
| 1)
Rural Lifestyle/Practice Visit |
4
days |
Summer break after Year 1 |
| 2)
Preceptorship* |
4-6
days |
Year
2 |
| 3)
Rural Community Observation* |
4-8 hours |
Year
2 |
| 4)
Rural Medicine Seminar (on campus) |
4-8
hours |
Year
2 (Semester 3 & 4) |
| 5)
Family Medicine Clerkship |
8 weeks |
Year
3 |
| 6)
Rural Primary Care Partnership / Geriatrics |
8 weeks |
Year
4 |
*Completed
during winter break, spring break, or designated times.
To experience the benefits of continuity and interaction with
a rural practice and community over time, students complete the
Rural Family Medicine Track in the same community.
- Rural Lifestyle/Practice Visit: A four-day experience that introduces the student to a family practice and the lifestyle of a physician in a rural community. The student's spouse is encouraged to participate in this visit. Requirements include:
- Observation/participation in physician preceptor's clinical practice.
- Completion of a learning module that includes participation in community activities and a 4-6 page written report.
- Discussion with preceptor of possibilities for community involvement during Year 3 and 4 visits and scheduling for Year 2 preceptorship visit(s).
- Preceptorship: One 4-day clinical experience that introduce the student to the role of comprehensive, continuing family-oriented primary medical care in a rural setting. Requirements include:
- Observation/participation in physician preceptor's clinical practice.
Satisfies requirement for Semester 3 and 4 preceptorship experiences.
- Rural Community Observation-Agency Site Visit*: One 4-hour observation at a local agency to increase the student's knowledge of community resources as a support system for health care. Requirements include:
- Observation at identified type of health or social service agency.
- Completion of evaluation.
Satisfies portion of requirement for Semester 3 and 4 community observations.
- Rural Medicine Seminars*: On-campus sessions to introduce students to relevant issues in rural health care and health care delivery. Requirements include:
- Self-study, group presentation and discussion.
Satisfies portion of requirement for Semester 3 and 4 community observations.
- Family Medicine Clerkship: An 8-week third year family medicine clerkship that focuses on cognitive and behavioral skill building. Requirements include:
- Participation in physician preceptor's clinical practice.
- Participation in community activities/service-learning.
- Participation in small group topic-related discussion.
- Rural Primary Care Partnership/Geriatrics: Two 4-week clinical experiences, one focusing on delivery of primary health care and the other focusing on care of the geriatric patient in the rural setting. Requirements include:
- Participation in physician preceptor's clinical practice and other clinical settings in the community that deliver primary or geriatric care.
- Didactic requirements to comply with geriatric objectives.
Students are encouraged to continue community involvement initiated during earlier visits.
For
further information contact:
Barbara
D. Adams, MSA
Assistant Director, Division of Rural Medicine
Department of Family and Community Health
(817) 735-0186
badams@hsc.unt.edu
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