Rural health, family practice, and area health education centers: a national study.

The National Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program and the family practice specialty were both created around 1970, in part to help meet the health care needs of medically underserved populations. Because these two entities share the common goal of alleviating physician shortages in rural areas, a study was conducted to determine the nature and extent of their interaction. Questionnaires were mailed to all AHEC projects and all nonmilitary family practice residency programs. Response rates were 100% and 79%, respectively. Elective rural rotations (usually preceptorships) are offered by 135 (49%) residencies, but only 84 (31%) require them. Fourteen (64%) AHEC projects interact with family practice residencies; however, only 9% (15/167) of the programs in those states utilize AHEC resources. The authors conclude that additional rural rotations could be offered to family practice residents by taking advantage of under-utilized resources of the National AHEC Program.