Primary Care Training for Rural Practice

Australia

Canada

United States Allopathic

US Osteopathic

High School or Secondary

Same

Same

Same

Same

Admissions

Secondary or after a few years of college

After 2 yrs college

After 4 years of college except rare special admissions, usually academic, a few rural

After 4 yrs

Duration of Medical School

6 years

4 years

4 years

4 years

Duration of training after medical school

4 years for Graduate Diploma in Rural General Practice

2 years, some take extra year for special rural prep in procedures

3 years, rare extra fellowship year

2 - 3 years

Primary care physicians

50 %

50 %

33 %

57 %

Gross Domestic Product in health care

10 %

14 %

NA

% of physicians in rural practice

7 %

11 %

8 - 12 %

20 - 30%

% rural population

13 %

33 %

22 %

Rourke and Strasser Acad Med 1996 71 464-469

Education for Rural Practice in Canada and Australia