The impending unification of allopathic and osteopathic graduate medical education (GME) under a single accreditation system has uncertain implications for small and rural-focused residency programs. This study aimed to

1. Quantify the rural practice outcomes of residencies in rurally-relevant specialties such as pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, emergency medicine, surgery, anesthesia, and psychiatry.
2. Interview key stakeholders to identify anticipated challenges of the accreditation merger and potential policies to strengthen vulnerable rural-focused residencies during the transition.

Publications

• Preparing Physicians for Rural Practice: Availability of Rural Training in Rural-Centric Residency Programs
  Journal Article
  WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 10/2019
  This study surveyed physician residency programs in anesthesiology, emergency medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and psychiatry to describe training locations and rural-specific content of rural-centric residency programs (those requiring at least eight weeks of rurally located training).