University of Missouri School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Columbia, Missouri 65212, USA.
Acad Med. 2013 Aug;88(8):1157-63. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e318299fb5d.
The University of Missouri School of Medicine developed the Summer Community Program through which rising second-year medical students work alongside rural, community-based physician preceptors. This program is part of a comprehensive, longitudinal pipeline designed to increase student interest in rural practice. The authors describe the Summer Community Program, explain changes in students' perceptions of rural practice and rural lifestyle post program, and report participants' specialty choices and first practice locations.
The authors analyzed 229 participant responses (1996-2010) to pre- and postexperience questionnaires focused on perceptions of rural practice and lifestyle. The authors calculated the likelihood of participants matching into primary care compared with nonparticipants and analyzed participants' first practice locations.
After the experience, participants' perceptions toward rural practice and lifestyle changed favorably, and 72% (n=208) reported more interest in rural practice. Compared with nonparticipants, summer participants were more likely to enter a primary care residency (relative risk [RR]=1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.50) and twice as likely to choose specifically family medicine (RR=2.21; 95% CI: 1.68-2.88). Forty-six percent (n=78) of participants chose rural locations for their first practices.
This program has positively influenced students' perceptions of rural practice and lifestyle and increased their interest in rural practice. Participants entered primary care and family medicine residencies at higher rates than nonparticipants, and nearly half started their medical practices in rural locations. Replicating this program may increase interest in rural medicine and address rural physician workforce needs.
密苏里大学医学院通过暑期社区项目，让即将进入二年级的医学生与农村社区医生导师一起工作。该项目是一个全面的、纵向的人才培养管道的一部分，旨在提高学生对农村行医的兴趣。作者介绍了暑期社区项目，解释了项目后学生对农村行医和农村生活方式的看法的变化，并报告了参与者的专业选择和第一执业地点。
作者分析了 229 名参与者（1996-2010 年）在项目前后的问卷调查结果，这些问卷主要关注对农村行医和生活方式的看法。作者计算了参与者与非参与者相比进入基层医疗保健住院医师培训的可能性，并分析了参与者的第一执业地点。
在经历之后，参与者对农村行医和生活方式的看法发生了积极的变化，72%（n=208）表示对农村行医更感兴趣。与非参与者相比，暑期项目参与者更有可能进入基层医疗保健住院医师培训（相对风险[RR]=1.31；95%置信区间[CI]：1.12-1.50），选择家庭医学的可能性是其两倍（RR=2.21；95% CI：1.68-2.88）。46%（n=78）的参与者选择农村作为他们的第一执业地点。
该项目对学生对农村行医和生活方式的看法产生了积极影响，并增加了他们对农村行医的兴趣。参与者进入基层医疗保健和家庭医学住院医师培训的比例高于非参与者，近一半的人在农村地区开始他们的医疗实践。复制该项目可能会增加对农村医学的兴趣，并解决农村医生劳动力需求。
