Fellowship in Rural Family Medicine

The Fellowship in Rural Family Medicine is a one-year experience designed for family medicine physicians who plan to work in a rural setting. The program was established in 1989 and was the first of its kind in the U.S. It is specifically designed to offer fellows the opportunity to build on their prior residency training and enhance both their cognitive and technical skills in preparation for rural practice. The structure of the curriculum is flexible enough to cater to individual needs. We welcome both recent residency graduates and physicians with practice experience.

The fellowship does not prepare one for any additional board examinations or a Certificate of Added Qualification. It does provide needed training and experience for FPs who plan to care for a rural population with limited access to health care services.

We believe every fellow who completes this program will achieve the confidence and competence needed to be successful practicing family medicine in a rural community.

Why does Tacoma Family Medicine offer a Rural Fellowship?

Tacoma Family Medicine (TFM) is a community-based family practice residency affiliated with the University of Washington’s School of Medicine. TFM is nationally recognized for its training of residents who are preparing for rural or urban underserved practices.

Residency Goals

Although the program itself is not located in a rural area, TFM is uniquely qualified to offer this fellowship for the following reasons:

• We are a community-based program that trains the only residents and fellows in our facilities.  Multicare Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates is a part of Tacoma Family Medicine, and provides direct teaching in low risk, high risk, and surgical obsterics.  The program also has strong support from community OB/Gyns and other specialists, allowing intensive family practice training.
• Tacoma General Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital serve as two major referral centers for the surrounding areas (including rural communities) with services including Perinatology Special Care Unit; Neonatal ICU; Pediatric ICU; Pediatric ER; Neurosurgery and Cardiothoracic surgery units, and regional trauma care.
• TFM has a strong commitment toward maintaining its mission of training residents and fellows for rural practice. Based on our 2005 survey, 66% of our fellowship graduates are practicing in communities <20,000.  13% are in residency faculty positions teaching family medicine residents in larger commuities.  74% continue to provide obstetric care, with 47% performing primary Ceasarean sections and an additional 11% perfoming first assists.  National rates for practice of obstetrics and of C sections are 22.6% and 4.3% repectively per 2005 AAFP data.  
• TFM has a strong faculty with extensive rural practice experience.