The department now has 4 rural training tracks in communities along the Platte River. A fifth is planned in Norfolk which is surrounded by underserved counties in northeast Nebraska. RTT programs have absorbed 8 first year positions in FP at UNMC. These positions used to be the typical urban academic program positions.
Residents spend their first year in Omaha and then their final two years in the rural track in a large rural community. Residents commute to ambulatory clinics in small communities of less than 5000 people. The residents in these tracks train specifically for rural practice. There are about 40 rural training tracks in the nation. Nebraska’s were among the first.
These programs were designed to meet the needs of the parts of the state that are in greater need of physicians. Research has demonstrated that training in more rural locations is an important part of efforts to influence graduates into rural locations. The choices of the RTT graduates have not disappointed educators as 75% have chosen rural practice, more than three times the national rate of Family Practice training.
Because of accreditation restrictions, the RTT program is located in a larger rural town, but the continuity clinic for the resident is in a small, underserved rural community.
|
Population |
< 5000 |
% |
8000 |
% |
25000 |
% |
Urban |
% |
Total |
|
ARTP: 7 years training in Omaha |
12 |
50% |
3 |
13% |
3 |
13% |
6 |
25% |
24 |
|
RTT: 5 years in Omaha, 2 years town of 25000 |
17 |
52% |
2 |
6% |
11 |
33% |
3 |
9% |
33 |
|
Before 1992 40% of UNMC Family Medicine Residents chose rural practice. Category 8000 is due to demographics of Nebraska where there are literally towns in one of the following 4 categories: 0 - 5000, 8000, 25,000, & over 100,000 |
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