Training for Rural Practice: What is Core Curriculum?

The question of postgraduate training for medical practice in rural communities has never been answered to everyone's satisfaction. Is there a core curriculum that would prepare a doctor to start up practice? The answer is no, but there is a better educational model that will foster physician attitudes, behaviour, and skills suitable for small-town practice. This article outlines some of the principles of a curriculum, the experiences required of a resident, and the setting and faculty that will make good small-town medicine happen. It addresses the changing illness and injury patterns of a modern rural community and the effect that these will have on the content of practice in the future.