Growing the Rural Physician Workforce Through Immersive Training
The University of Minnesota Medical School’s Rural Physician Associate Program places medical students in rural communities for nine months of immersive training.
The University of Minnesota Medical School’s Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) places students in rural communities for nine months of hands-on clinical training alongside local physicians. The extended time in one setting allows students to build relationships, follow patients over time, and experience the full scope of rural medical practice.
Finding Belonging in Small Communities
Sabdi Bravo-Benning grew up in Lismore, a southwest Minnesota town of about 200 people, and has always valued smaller learning environments. “Growing up in a small town made me interested in practicing in similar communities. That is one of the main reasons I chose RPAP,” Bravo-Benning said. “I wanted more hands-on experience and the opportunity to see how physicians manage a broad range of care with varying resources.”
She did not expect to be placed in Austin and Albert Lea, but the location quickly felt right. “It has been great so far,” she said. “The diversity of the patient population, the sense of community, and the supportive training environment have reinforced the kind of setting I see myself working in the future.”
Choosing Rural Medicine With Purpose
Lila Lohmiller grew up in Wadena and now lives with her family in Dent. Rural life has shaped her long-term career goals. “I have always lived in a rural community and I appreciate the relationships and opportunities to volunteer, lead, and participate,” Lohmiller said. “Everyone has always been so good to me. It is a no-brainer for me to practice in a rural community.”
Her RPAP placement in Fergus Falls has offered daily opportunities to learn and contribute. “I have loved being in Fergus Falls and again, everyone has been so good to me,” she said. “In small towns and facilities, it is easier to get to know your peers, and I have already been sought out many times with opportunities to learn and engage with the community and our patients.”
Motivated by Community Needs
Micah Christenson, placed in Alexandria, traces his interest in medicine directly to the physicians who cared for his own community. “I come from a community supported by rural docs,” Christenson said. “There is something special to me about the interconnectedness of rural communities and how physicians are so embedded within it.”
Christenson sees rural practice as deeply relational. “They take care of multigenerational families and are present in some of life’s most powerful moments,” he said. “It is hard to not be passionate about your profession when it is your neighbors looking to you for help, and in rural communities everyone is your neighbor.”
He is also motivated by the practical realities facing rural populations. “It is no secret that rural populations have been hit disproportionately hard by healthcare labor shortages,” he said. “Anything I can do to help my community have the healthcare system they deserve is well worth it.”
Across Minnesota, RPAP students describe similar experiences: supportive mentors, broad medical exposure, and communities that welcome them in. Their reflections show why rural training matters and how meaningful patient relationships shape their goals for the future.