Rural Medicine Preceptorship in Family Medicine A & B

National Center for Rural Health Professions

  • Course Information

    Course Numbers: RRHP601 (A) and RRHP602 (B)

    Prerequisites: Completion of all Phase 2 clerkships

    Length of Time: 2-16 weeks per section. Section A must be immediately followed by Section B. May not exceed 16 weeks total. Must meet 16 weeks total. Must be taken concurrently with RMED Community Oriented Primary Care Research course (ELEC456).

    Phase Availability: Phase 3

    Credit Type: Patient-facing or Open

    Call: No

  • Contact Information

    Program Director: Dr. Hana Hinkle

    Coordinator/Scheduling: Dr. Hana Hinkle (hhinkle1@uic.edu); Jessica McGuire (jam226@uic.edu)

    Location: UIC College of Medicine Rockford sites across Illinois

Narrative Description: A 2- to 16-week rotation to allow a student to have an extended experience providing ambulatory and hospital care in a more rural setting offering the student an improved understanding of clinical medicine and decision making in the rural setting, rural health care systems/rural practice patterns, the nature of rural people and rural communities, the process of how all of the above comes together in defining and solving rural health care problems (community-oriented primary care).

While chiefly an office-based ambulatory experience, preceptors may occasionally allow students to participate in care in the local hospital while under direct supervision. At no time will the student provide any patient care or entries to the medical record without their preceptor being directly present

Learning Objectives:

  1. By the conclusion of the preceptorship, the student will have an understanding of the following as they apply to the rural setting:
    1. common undifferentiated medical problems, common acute medical problems and common chronic medical problems–their presentation and manifestation
    2. health maintenance and disease prevention
    3. patient education
    4. tests and treatments (taking into account access and cost-effective decision making)
    5. consultations and referrals
  2. Through a series of exercises and resource studies, the student will gain an appreciation of the overall rural community structure and function. The ability to assess and understand the context in which a physician will be functioning is critical to successful and effective patient care.
    1. The student will have an understanding of the local health care system from the micro level (preceptor’s office) to the macro level (community systems for health care).
    2. The student will have an understanding of the larger social/political/economic community in which health care is delivered.

Learning Activities:

  1. Students participate in a 16-week rural Illinois preceptorship. RMED students receive assistance and support from collaborating rural hospitals, rural family physicians, county cooperative extension and health department staffs, among others.
  2. The preceptorship experience consists of participation in clinical responsibilities as instructed by the preceptor site to occur on at least 7 half day blocks/week.
  3. The RMED student works with a primary preceptor (rural family physician) at least 5 half day blocks/week and may work with other health care providers 2 half day blocks/week.
  4. The collaborating hospital site coordinator and primary preceptor introduce the RMED student to key community leaders and social service and health care professionals to facilitate the community structure and COPC projects.
  5. RMED students participate in the NRMP Match process. The RMED office maintains a file on family practice residency programs with rural training tracks or experiences in the Midwest. RMED faculty provide residency counseling. Students are encouraged to select a family practice residency program in Illinois or one of the surrounding states.

Method of Assessment: The 16-week Rural Family Medicine Preceptorship (RMED IV) is a senior required clerkship for RMED students which is described and recorded on the College and site transcripts. Student appraisal is based on the successful completion of each preceptorship component; i.e., 60% clinical, 40% community structure project. Each component of the preceptorship will receive a grade of Outstanding, Advanced, Proficient, Needs Remediation or Incomplete.

  1. The clinical performance is evaluated by the primary preceptor and the hospital site coordinator. In addition, the student evaluates the support and curricular materials, the preceptors, the hospital, and him/herself pre- and post-clerkship.
  2. The Computerized Logbook provides a data set which facilitates monitoring and evaluation of the student’s patient encounter experience

Required Reading: None

Additional Resources: None

Miscellaneous Information:

  1. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner while in the rural
    community.
  2. Arriving to clinical sites and curricular events on time and prepared to engage.
  3. Students may be required to make alternative arrangements for pets or other responsibilities that may not be allowed to travel with them to their preceptor site.
  4. Students should be careful not to discuss patient care issues in public spaces inside and out of the clinical site.
  5. A white coat and name badge must be worn on service.