Unique aspects of the program include the residency's family practice center embedded in a rural private group practice; a particularly strong emphasis on continuity of patient care across settings and stages of life, including a high-volume continuity OB practice; a Practice-Based Small Group learning program; and a Sabbatical Elective in the third year promoting a cross-cultural experience in another rural or international underserved setting. We believe that when it comes to creating a safe and nurturing learning community, "small is better." As a rurally-located program, "who we are" is very much dependent upon "where we are." Our strengths lie in our wide general scope of practice, an abundance of procedures, our experienced and passionate faculty, and our adaptability to individual learning needs and practice goals.
Residents are expected, in their three years of residency, to (1) refine a personal vision for practice, (2) make a significant contribution to the health of our community, and (3) conduct a scholarly activity that adds to their own learning and that of their colleagues and which contributes to the knowledge base of family medicine.
The curriculum includes a longitudinal case-based interprofessional, resident and faculty group experience entitled "Clinical Jazz," collectively learning from experiences with peers, patients and their families in an integrated and holistic way. Facilitated by a family physician and a clinical psychologist, this seminar explores the doctor-patient relationship as the core of clinical practice and addresses those aspects of doctoring which are particularly challenging, difficult, or intriguing.
As part of a rural health professions campus, our faculty and residents participate in the education of medical students at all levels and in the clinical training of family nurse practitioners.
