Rural Family Medicine Training in Canada

This paper examines the status of postgraduate family medicine training in rural settings in Canada and identifies problems and how they are addressed. Specifically, a survey of 18 university programs examined the portion of family medicine block training that is done in a rural practice setting within the 2-year postgraduate family medicine training program. Family medicine block time during this 2-year program varied from the prescribed minimum of 8 months to a maximum of 12 months, some of which could be spent in a rural family practice. Survey results indicate that 9 of 18 programs offered family medicine training in a rural practice setting to some or all of their first-year family medicine residents, and that 99 of 684 first-year residents did some training in a rural practice setting. All programs offered some training in a rural practice setting to second-year residents, and 567 of 702 second-year residents did some practice in a rural setting. Additionally, in 12 of 18 programs, a rural family medicine block was compulsory. Respondents also indicated that isolation, accommodation, and supervision were common problems for rural family medicine residents, and that isolation and faculty development were common problems for rural physician-teachers. Contains a 16-item bibliography. (LP)