An educational needs assessment of rural family physicians

A shortage of family physicians persists in rural and medically underserved areas of the United States. We explore the hypothesis that a definable set of educational needs should be addressed for rural family physicians, both during their formal education and as part of continuing education while in practice.

An educational needs assessment questionnaire was sent to 1096 family physicians who had finished residency and entered rural practice within the last 3 years. Six hundred twenty-seven (57.2 percent) of the questionnaires were returned. The demographic characteristics of the respondent physicians and their assessment of the appropriateness and adequacy of their educational process in preparing them for rural practice were analyzed by looking at individual items and groups of items or subject areas.

We were able to define successfully a group of items that were important components of rural practice but were not adequately addressed in training programs. Theses groups included counseling, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, geriatrics, surgery and trauma, medical specialties, surgical specialties, community medicine and management, and a mixed factor that included rehabilitation, behavioral sciences, learning disabilities (in children), chronic childhood problems, and human growth.

It is possible to define a group of educational areas not covered adequately by standard family practice curriculum that should be included in preparation for rural practice. If these areas were included in the education of rurally oriented family practice medical students and residents, these physicians would be more adequately prepared to meet the demands of rural practice. If preparation for rural practice is improved, rural communities might be more successful in recruiting and retaining well-trained family physicians.