ETSU hosts The National Rural Health Association’s Rural Medical Educators’ Conclave

ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine is unique in its focus on preparing physicians for practice in rural areas to help address the areas of the state that are medically underserved.  So it was well-suited to host the National Rural Health Association’s Rural Medical Educators’ Conclave, March 18-19.

The conference drew medical educators from across the country to share experiences on how to best educate medical students in practicing rural health.  Major topics addressed include recruitment practices for rural medical school programs, teaching practices for medical schools and rural residency education, and identifying the unique knowledge, skills, and behaviors that rural physicians need.

“A rural physician who is well-trained knows how to partner with the community and knows how to share the community resources.  And they know about what the community can offer to help the patient.  There are skill sets that people need that are different to work in a rural community than there are in an urban community,” said  Dr. Joe Florence, Director of Rural Programs for ETSU’s Department of Family Medicine [Johnson City Press, Associated Press].

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