First Year

Rural Enrichment Week

The Rural Enrichment Week provides first-year medical students an opportunity to experience a rural family medicine practice at least 45 miles from Kansas City, Kansas. Students remain in the community for a week while they receive ambulatory, hospital and emergency care experiences with a family physician.

Students are expected to maintain a daily diary and write a one-page paper that reflects on the biopsychosocial approach to health care, the connection and therapeutic relationship developed between family physician and patients as well as the core concepts of family medicine, including access, comprehensive care, continuity of care and coordination of care within the context of the family, community and health care system. Students may enroll in rural enrichment week through the usual lottery enrollment for SER.

Rural Medicine Interest Group  

Rural Medicine Interest Group is a student interest group started in January 2007. Open to students from all years and campuses, it is the largest student interest group at KU Medical Center. Rural Medicine Interest Group sponsors activities on and off campus that serve rural interests. Visit the group on Facebook or TheBeat@KUMC. 

Second Year

Summer Training Option in Rural Medicine 

The Summer Training Option in Rural Medicine (STORM) is an elective rotation for medical students, sponsored by ORME, the Departments of Family Medicine on the Kansas City and Wichita campuses and other partners. It is open to medical students from all 3 campuses. The program involves active clinical training as well as practice-based research in rural primary care settings across the state of Kansas. 

Learn more about the summer training option >

Third Year

Rural Opportunities for Clerkships (ROC-3)

Students can elect to complete a portion or in some cases all of a required third-year clerkship in specified rural sites. Students work with volunteer faculty in a rural immersion experience and participate in a broad range of clinical experiences. The Rural Option is currently available in pediatrics, family medicine, OB/GYN and surgery. 

Learn more about the third-year clerkship >

Extended Rural Clerkship in Pittsburg, Kansas (P-ERC)

The P-ERC allows up to four students to complete a portion of their third-year clerkships in a rural location. Students can spend up to 12 months at the rural site where they will complete clerkships in family medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, half of the surgery rotation. If students elect, they can also complete the 4th year courses in a rural preceptorship, sub-internship, critical care and possibly a rural elective.

Like many other states, the Kansas rural physician workforce is predicted to face severe shortages. As more physicians enter retirement, 30 percent of Kansas physicians will be at retirement age or beyond in the next 10 years. New rural medical education programs in other regions of Kansas are a priority. We believe the development of rural programs such as Pittsburg will lead the way to help fill the gap in physician shortages.

Fourth Year

Required Rural Preceptorship Program

All KU Medical Center medical students complete a 4-week rural preceptorship during their senior year as part of graduation requirements. This preceptorship is designed to be a rural immersion experience in primary care medicine. Students are expected to function at the level of an intern during this formative month. 

Learn more about the required rural preceptorship >

Rural Family Medicine Elective, FAPR975 (Kansas City and Salina only)

Students can select additional educational experiences in rural communities. Students should meet with the rural office before going to assigned communities to discuss goals and purposes. Each elective will last for two weeks for four students each month. Students will receive two credits. Prerequisite: FAPR900 Rural Preceptorship or permission from the rural office.