Accelerated Residency Program Track
Recognizing that students were requesting more specific rural training, the department’s program director, Jim Stageman, created this track. The program begins in the 4th year of medical school and continues for a 3 year family practice residency and a 4th year procedural fellowship. This program technically is one of the dozen or so accelerated programs in family medicine departments across the nation. The Nebraska program is the only one devoted to specific rural preparation. The program has specific curricula, practice management training, rural advisement, procedural training, and an obligation for rural practice.
The key component of the program is the perspective of the trainees. It is clear that a choice of this program represents a choice of rural practice. Those in this track filter all of their decisions, electives, moonlighting, and other influences through this career mindset. Trainees moonlight sooner and more often, they also tend to select their final locations with a year or two remaining, allowing the final years to prepare specifically for their practice location.
The finale of the program is a 4th year fellowship involving procedural training in obstetrics, surgery, critical care, orthopedics, and other areas. Although not "accelerated" in the usual earlier graduation sense (getting out in 6 yrs), the training accelerates the learning curve with earlier clinical responsibilities and the procedural training that accelerates a decision for rural practice. The M-4/PGY-1 year particularly advances responsibilities and decision-making.
The rural graduation rate of this program is 75%, equal to that of rural training tracks in Nebraska and other states. When comparing the typical rural training track in mostly rural areas with the urban-based track, the numbers are similar in the first few years. Perhaps the procedural push is as important to a rural location decision as the rural location of training. Time will tell. For more see Programs that get residents to the smallest towns.
Note by RCB - Interestingly this program was adopted despite some opposition from AAFP leaders who feared that this might imply the need for a 4 year FP residency program. Now it appears that this program trains leaders and facilitates the ability of residents to find their special town and place in practice in that town.
|
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 |
|||||||||
Accelerated Program Outcomes as of July 2002 (most already signed contracts)
| Total in program since 1992 | 35 | |
| Number from rural communities | 25 | 71% |
| Graduates of the program in practice | 24 | |
| Completing 4th year fellowship | 18 | 75% |
| Number in Nebraska | 20 | 83% |
| Number in towns of less than 8000 | 14 | 58% |
Meeting the Needs of Underserved Rural and Inner City Areas with Accelerated Graduate Training