RESUMEN
Physician distribution nationally and in Texas trends away from rural toward more urban areas. Consequently, access to health care in rural areas is adversely affected. The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) Family Medicine Residency established a rural training track (RTT) in 2000 to combat this trend. This paper describes the graduate cohort to date, their practice locations, and strengths and limitations of the program as perceived by its participants. Data were collected from the UTMB Family Medicine Residency Alumni database and from focus group evaluations of the RTT conducted in 2004. Seven family medicine residents completed the RTT through 2007. Most graduates of the RTT (6 out of 7) entered practice in rural areas. Four of the 7 RTT graduates are Hispanic, reflecting the program's success in attracting underrepresented minority physicians.
Asunto(s)
Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria/educación , Internado y Residencia , Área sin Atención Médica , Ubicación de la Práctica Profesional , Servicios de Salud Rural , Humanos , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud , Texas , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
Rural areas in Texas constitute a major portion of the state. Health care access and distribution issues in rural areas are recognized on many levels, from the local community with limited resources or facing the loss of a critical health care professional to the Texas Medical Association and Texas state government. Rural training tracks are one way to provide family medicine residents with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for successful practice in rural areas. Building collaborative relationships between rural physicians and university-based residency programs, as described in this project, may offer one solution to the problem of medically underserved rural communities in Texas.