POSTGRADUATE TRAINING FOR RURAL FAMILY-PRACTICE - GOALS AND OPPORTUNITIES

PROBLEM BEING ADDRESSED The continuing shortage of rural family physic ians in Canada. PURPOSE OF PROGRAM To further develop training for rur al family practice so that adequate numbers of rural family physicians will be appropriately prepared.MAIN COMPONENTS OF PROGRAM AU family m edicine residents should have the opportunity to experience the joys a nd challenges of rural family practice. Rural family medicine training streams provide the best education for family medicine residents who are planning a career in rural family medicine. Integrated training fo r rural family practice should be high-quality academically sound, nee ds-driven, evidence-based, learner-centred, and outcome-measured. This involves comprehensive development of curricula that provide specific skills and appropriate core subjects in rural practice as well as a s olid family medicine foundation. Contextual and experiential learning in areas similar to or in actual areas where there is a need for rural physicians, and appropriate hospital rotations to learn skills for th e hospital role of many rural family doctors, are important components of rural family medicine training. CONCLUSIONS Postgraduate rural fam ily medicine training programs can be further focused and developed to train more physicians with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes requi red for rural practice.