What
is Rural Medical Education?
Why do we need rural medical
education?
Do I have to be from rural Illinois?
I’m from a rural community.
How do I get into Illinois RMED?
Why primary care medicine?
What GPA and MCAT scores
do I need to have?
Is there any
financial aid available to RMED students?
What is Rural Medical Education?
The Rural Medical Education Program trains and supports future family
doctors who plan to practice in rural Illinois. RMED has a specially
designed, supplemental curriculum. In the first three years ofmedical
school, this consists of seminars on rural health care issues, family
medicine, and community-oriented primary care. In the 4th year, RMED
students participate in a 16-week rural preceptorship which focuses
on clinical skill development in a rural setting. Students also complete
two community-based projects during their preceptorships, which strengthen
their knowledge of rural communities and their special health needs.
Why do we need rural medical education?
The majority of Illinois’ counties are designated rural, and 90%
of the residents in these counties have only limited access to doctors
and other rural health care professionals. Studies have shown that city
doctors rarely establish practices in rural settings, so it is up to
our rural communities to “grow their own” doctors. Illinois
RMED was developed to reach out to these counties, encouraging students
to consider a career in medicine, and assisting them in attaining that
goal.
Do I have to be from rural Illinois?
Because we have a commitment to the state of Illinois, we can only accept
students who are Illinois residents. Students from rural communities
receive preference over those who are from non-rural areas, though we
do accept students from urban locations who can demonstrate that they
have experience with rural communities and those lifestyles.
I’m from a rural community. How do I get into Illinois
RMED?
If you are interested in practicing primary care medicine and living
in a rural Illinois community, you should apply to the RMED program
as well as the University of Illinois College of Medicine.
RMED requires three letters of recommendation from rural community members
who know you. These people could be teachers, ministers, employers,
volunteer supervisors, coaches, etc. Preferably, these people should
be able to speak to your leadership abilities as well as your ultimate
career plans.
Following completion of your RMED application, your file will be screened
by RMED faculty, and you may be called for an interview. Interviews
are held in late January each year. Selected students are notified in
early March by the University of Illinois based on the recommendation
of the RMED program.
Why primary care medicine?
The Illinois RMED program is especially interested in training primary
care doctors because these professionals are able to care for an entire
community, from infants to the elderly, men and women.
While our program is opened to students interested in the primary care
specialties, (family medicine, general internal medicine, pediactics
and medicine/pediatrics) much of the focus of the RMED training is on
family medicine principles, and most of our students choose family medicine
as their specialty. Family medicine cares for the family as a unit,
rather than just the individual. Also, studies have shown that a community
of 2,500 can support a family physician, but it takes a much larger
community to support other specialists. For instance, it takes a community
of at least 5,500 to support an internist, 7,500 to support a pediatrician.
Many Illinois communities are very small, and family docs make the most
sense.
Family physicians are also trained to provide patient education to keep
their communities healthy, focusing on the whole person, not just the
illness. Also, rural family docs are more than just doctors. They are
important leaders in their communities, and can help shape their communities’
health care goals, both now and in the future.
What GPA and MCAT scores do I need to have?
All applicants to the RMED Program need to have competitive GPA and
MCAT scores. Talk to your premedical advisor at your university.
Is there any financial aid available to RMED students?
RMED does not offer financial aid through its program; however, many
of our students are qualified for outside tuition repayment and scholarship
programs. Since RMED students are in a program that prepares students
for rural practice, they are much more competitive for such scholarships.
See our Financial Aid page for more information and a listing of scholarships.
