What is The Rural Partnership?
The Rural Partnership is a non-profit physician placement service created by East Tennessee State University, Meharry Medical College, The University of Tennessee, and Vanderbilt University to match residents to rural and underserved communities in Tennessee. The Rural Partnership incorporated in 2006 and began matching physicians to communities in 2007.
Why should a resident or a practicing physician work with The Rural Partnership?
Tennessee’s four medical schools with graduate medical education programs created The Rural Partnership to identify practice opportunities at hospitals, community health centers, health departments, and private practices across the state. Since 2006, The Rural Partnership has conducted two demand assessments in Tennessee. Results consistently indicate that at least 30 percent of those surveyed are hiring physicians in rural and underserved communities. The Rural Partnership staff visits each site that is actively recruiting and maintains corresponding job profiles in its database.
Does The Rural Partnership give my information to communities?
The Rural Partnership only releases your information with your permission. The Rural Partnership provides community and job profiles to the physician resident or practicing physician to review first. Only when you request to be referred to a community will personal information be released to that hiring entity.
What is the stipend program?
The Rural Partnership administers the Tennessee Residency Stipend Program, which offers $25,000 per year to qualifying residents who are selected for the program and who agree to practice full-time primary care medicine in one of our target communities. To apply, you must be enrolled in a primary care residency program at of the following medical schools: East Tennessee State University, Meharry Medical College, The University of Tennessee, or Vanderbilt University. Applications must include transcripts, a written personal statement, a letter from your program director, evidence of citizenship, and evidence of an unrestricted Tennessee medical license.