Rural Primary Care Practice and
Research Program
FAPR 905
Department of Family Medicine
Course Director: Michael Kennedy, MD
Course Administrator: Debra Lea
Course Coordinator: Hannah Rachford
Course Description
• This course is designed to provide students with early exposure to clinical
medicine and primary care research.
• The elective is offered to students between their first and second years of medical
school by the Department of Family Medicine.
• Students will work with a community physician in a primary care medical
practice.
• Students will also collect data about patient health, preventive health care, health
behavior, and/or key aspects of primary care practice in Kansas.
• Students will participate in activities at the annual meeting of the Kansas
Academy of Family Physicians.
• http://www.kafponline.org/education/annualmeeting/
• They will spend 5 days prior to their on-site clinical experience at KUMC receiving
hands-on clinical and research training. This includes advanced training in office
procedures for primary care.
• Students will spend 6 weeks living in a rural community and working with their
assigned physician. During these 6 weeks, students will help with patient care and
assist with research project activities (subject recruitment and data collection).
Room and board is arranged on a case-by-case basis, but housing is generally
provided by the local hospital.
Goals and Objectives
• Observe and assist in the delivery of primary care in both the
inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Practice and refine clinical skills acquired during year one.
Begin learning basic procedural skills. See patients
independently, as much as possible.
• Understand and perform practice-based research data
collection in primary care.
• Use basic computer skills that are helpful to a practicing
physician. Online medical searches, medical databases, word
processing and E-mail will be utilized.
• Develop an awareness of important issues in the delivery of
health care in a non-urban primary care setting.
• Develop awareness of the needs and expectations a Kansas
community has for their physician. Gain awareness regarding
the function of a health care team in primary care.
• Participate in a community-based research project.
Expectations for Students
• Attend the KAFP annual meeting
• Read the provided reading assignments.
• Participate in lecture/workshop experiences
with KUMC faculty prior to and following the
on-site experience.
• Reside for 6 weeks at their assigned site,
assisting their preceptor with comprehensive
patient care.
• Participate fully in the data collection and
recruitment related to the research project.
• Communicate regularly with KUMC faculty and
staff via phone, mail, and e-mail.
Application Process
• Complete the course application below and
return it via email by End January
• Announcement of selected students will be
made around Mid-February.
• Students will be given the opportunity to
accept or decline.
• Preceptor
• There is no need for the student to contact the
site or arrange a preceptor prior to applying
• In fact, sites have requested that students not
contact them to make these arrangements
• Please put your preferences on your application
Scholarship
•This program functions as a
scholarship program and all
enrollment decisions are
made by the course director
•Program acceptance
decisions are based on items
in the application
Stipend
• This elective includes a stipend that is funded
by:
•
•
•
•
•
Dane G Hansen Foundation
H.L. Baker Trust of LaCrosse, Kansas
Kansas Academy of Family Physicians
Sutton Family Endowment Fund
KUMC School of Medicine
• The stipend will include
• A base scholarship payment of $2400
• Additional $400 payment bonus provided to
students who thoroughly complete all aspects of
the program’s research activities.
Course Application
• There is an application form for the course
• Students will be sent an email with the
application form in the next 1-2 weeks
Summary Information
• All KUMC Campuses
• 4 hours of elective credit (8 weeks)
• Stipend
• $2,400.00 plus $400 bonus for work completion
• Don’t call preceptors
• Make all arrangements through the rural office
• Class size
• Limit of 30 students
• Opportunity to be part of the writing and
presenting team
Contact
• KUMC Office of Rural Medical Education
• 3010 Murphy Bldg
• Michael Kennedy, MD
• Associate Dean for Rural Health Ed
• Debra Lea
• Senior Administrator
• Hannah Rachford
• Coordinator
• 913-588-8221
• dlea@kumc.edu, hrachford@kumc.edu, mkennedy@kumc.edu
• http://www.kumc.edu/school-of-medicine/office-of-rural-medicaleducation.html