Training Needs for Rural Primary Care Practice: A Scoping Review of Resident Physician Preparation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Research
• Rural Health Professions Training
• Competency-Based Medical Education

Background:

• Graduate medical education (GME) programs increasingly focus on preparing physicians for rural primary care.
• Understanding the specific competencies and training methodologies for rural practice is essential but underexplored.
• There is a need to systematically define the educational requirements for physicians entering rural practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review to identify key dimensions of GME competencies for rural practice.
• To describe existing evidence and identify gaps in the literature regarding rural physician training.
• To inform the development of targeted GME curricula for rural settings.

Main Methods:

• A modified PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) approach was employed.
• Peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2023 were systematically searched using PubMed.
• Studies focusing on the unique training needs and competencies of residents intending to practice in rural US areas were included.

Main Results:

• Out of 423 identified articles, 22 were included in the review.
• Eleven articles (50%) detailed training for rural practice, including two at the fellowship level.
• Five articles (23%) described training conducted in rural locations, and six (27%) focused on rural vs. nonrural training comparisons.

Conclusions:

• A significant gap exists in systematically defining the GME competencies essential for rural practice.
• Current literature lacks a comprehensive framework for training physicians to meet the demands of rural healthcare.
• Further research is needed to establish clear educational guidelines and curricula for rural GME programs.