How to show interest in rural medicine and family medicine?

[numbersloth]

I'm originally from a big city and am a first generation American. However, I have become increasingly interested in family medicine through shadowing and working in rural settings through experiences with doctors in rural areas (got sick/hurt a couple times while hiking in rural areas).

I'd really like to apply to some of the specialty MD programs in rural medicine or family medicine (Tufts, SUNY-Upstate) but I don't exactly know how they'll view me since I don't have obvious ties to the rural community. I'm trying to snag some volunteer/shadowing gigs in rural areas, but given their "out of the way"-ness, its not been easy. Advice?

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[laughingfrog]

these rural programs generally need you way more than you need them except maybe columbia bassett. you 'll be alright. offer your family physician dinner (he/she could really use a warm meal) , build rapport, shadow, and get glowing LOR about how well suited you are for rural med

 

[tantacles]

I'm originally from a big city and am a first generation American. However, I have become increasingly interested in family medicine through shadowing and working in rural settings through experiences with doctors in rural areas (got sick/hurt a couple times while hiking in rural areas).

I'd really like to apply to some of the specialty MD programs in rural medicine or family medicine (Tufts, SUNY-Upstate) but I don't exactly know how they'll view me since I don't have obvious ties to the rural community. I'm trying to snag some volunteer/shadowing gigs in rural areas, but given their "out of the way"-ness, its not been easy. Advice?

Write about it in your personal statement! That's the only way they'll really understand your interest.


Large dogs

 

[LacrosseFit]

Unless I'm mistaken, it has become a problem (some may use the word "crisis") that there aren't enough physicians choosing to do family medicine in rural communities. I believe that there a loan repayment programs built on trying to improve that. I don't think that needing to convince someone that you are interested in rural medicine is a probably that you are likely to encounter. Learning to play the banjo may prove to be the most difficult part.

 

[MerYangBey]

The question is why tho. Go derm or go home

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

Saying "I want to do rural medicine" will suffice. It's not rocket surgery; they need warm bodies.

 

[Goro]

Any fool can write "I have an interest in rural medicine"'; yet the vasto majority of doctors are in cities or suburbs.

Hence, if you want to be taken seriously, you have to walk the walk, not merely talk the talk.

For this, you're going to have to do some ECs in a rural or underserved area.

I would start by inquiring with your local houses of worship and see what they have to say.

I'm originally from a big city and am a first generation American. However, I have become increasingly interested in family medicine through shadowing and working in rural settings through experiences with doctors in rural areas (got sick/hurt a couple times while hiking in rural areas).

I'd really like to apply to some of the specialty MD programs in rural medicine or family medicine (Tufts, SUNY-Upstate) but I don't exactly know how they'll view me since I don't have obvious ties to the rural community. I'm trying to snag some volunteer/shadowing gigs in rural areas, but given their "out of the way"-ness, its not been easy. Advice?

 

[ChrisMack390]

There are plenty of underserved communities in urban settings. Don't volunteer at the shiny academic center, volunteer at the run down psych hospital on the outskirts. Don't tutor the middle class college freshman, teach an after school program in the roughest part of town.

I daresay commitments to these communities will give you the skills and experiences needed to get into schools focused on family/rural med

 

[TallPreMed]

Any fool can write "I have an interest in rural medicine"'; yet the vasto majority of doctors are in cities or suburbs.

Hence, if you want to be taken seriously, you have to walk the walk, not merely talk the talk.

For this, you're going to have to do some ECs in a rural or underserved area.

I would start by inquiring with your local houses of worship and see what they have to say.

We had a pet rabbit that got mean and so we killed it and grilled it up for dinner one night. Do you think that or my multi day hikes with my cattle dog will prove to adcoms how (redneck) I want to go into rural med?

 

[takeurmeds02]

Bless you.

 

[Goro]

Redneck wannabe. Try eating road kill.

We had a pet rabbit that got mean and so we killed it and grilled it up for dinner one night. Do you think that or my multi day hikes with my cattle dog will prove to adcoms how (redneck) I want to go into rural med?

 

[Sardinia]

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[Sardinia]

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[TallPreMed]

Redneck wannabe. Try eating road kill.

Uhhh we have a beaver pelt in our front living room that we got from hitting it, my stepdad threw it in the back of the truck and took it home to skin it... Also taken deer home we've hit to eat. Pretty much the same thing

 

[Goro]

OK, SUNY Upstate or Va Tech for you!!

Uhhh we have a beaver pelt in our front living room that we got from hitting it, my stepdad threw it in the back of the truck and took it home to skin it... Also taken deer home we've hit to eat. Pretty much the same thing