Federal Funding Supports Increase in Family Medicine Residency Program, Focusing on Rural Health Developments
The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is set to establish a new Rural Track Program (RTP) with a Maternal Health & Obstetrics Pathway (MHOP), aiming to address the critical shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas.
Starting in June 2026, resident physicians will spend their first year training at Highland Family Medicine/Highland Hospital and the subsequent two years at Tri-County Family Medicine/Noyes Memorial Hospital. This three-year program will see more than half of the residents' experience taking place in rural locations.
The program's focus is on bringing new physicians to the area to address the physician shortages, particularly in maternal health and obstetrics. The RTP with the MHOP aims to equip trainees with clinical skills and knowledge to improve health outcomes in underserved rural areas, particularly relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and women's health.
Key objectives of the program include:
- Training providers to deliver comprehensive maternal and obstetric care adapted to the challenges of rural and underserved settings.
- Improving access to quality prenatal, perinatal, and postpartum care in rural communities through enhanced clinical expertise and community engagement.
- Fostering interests in rural health practice by providing immersive experiences in rural clinical environments and focusing on collaborative care models.
- Addressing health disparities in rural maternal health, potentially including integration of public health principles, behavioral health, and awareness of social determinants affecting women and families.
The program is supported by the American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), aligning with their mission to improve health care and population health by enhancing physician workforce development in underserved areas. The initiative aims to increase access to Family Medicine and Obstetrics for historically marginalized and low-income rural residents and all women of reproductive age in Allegany, Livingston, Steuben, and Wyoming counties.
The University of Rochester Medical Center has received a three-year $750K grant from HRSA to support the training of Family Medicine residents in a rural setting. David C. Holub, MD, project director and Family Medicine Residency program director, will administer the grant. The Department of Family Medicine's residency program will expand from 12 residents per year to 14 residents per year, totaling 42 residents.
The RTP consortium includes the University of Rochester Medical Center, Tri-County Family Medicine, Highland Family Medicine/Department of Family Medicine Residency Program, and Noyes Memorial Hospital. The partnership between the medical center and Tri-County Family Medicine is intended to protect public health.
Tri-County Family Medicine, founded over 50 years ago, has a commitment to bring primary care providers to underserved areas. The development of this program has been supported by various key figures, including Mark Taubman, Steve Goldstein, Karen Stone, J. Chad Teeters, Michele Lawrence, Colleen T. Fogarty, and Brenda Houtenbrink.
Establishing this residency program is an important step at addressing the national shortage of primary care physicians, a issue that is most serious in rural areas. The program aims to train the next generation of medical providers to serve the region. Alex Doucette is the education administrator and project manager for the grant.
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