Rural origins and choosing family medicine predict future rural practice.

摘要

Although 21 percent of the population of the United States lives in rural areas, only 10 percent of physicians practice there. Current trends indicate that rural distribution is declining for all medical specialties, with the nation increasingly dependent on family medicine for rural health care. Family medicine is a key player in the solution for rural health workforce shortages, supplying 58 percent of physicians in isolated rural areas.