The Stanly Rural Track offers true rural immersion with full-spectrum family medicine training, embedded in the community and supported by a large health system. Residents train across outpatient, inpatient, and obstetric settings, building the breadth and autonomy needed for real-world rural practice. The track is part of the Cabarrus Family Medicine Residency, with a complementary, larger community-based campus approximately 45 minutes away, providing access to subspecialty rotations not available in rural settings. For the rural track residents, continuity
clinics and more than 50% of clinical training take place in Albemarle and surrounding Stanly County. Faculty provide close, one-on-one mentorship and expertise in community-based rural care, agromedicine, integrative health, menopause care, and medication-assisted treatment. Our rural track also offers strong Family Medicine Obstetrics (FMOB) training led by fellowship-trained FMOB faculty. This site serves a three-county underserved region with significant shortages in obstetric care and substance use treatment, giving residents meaningful experience caring for patients with complex rural health needs. Our program prepares physicians to deliver comprehensive, relationship-centered care and to become leaders who improve the health of rural communities.

The Stanly Rural Track is rooted in the charm and connection of Albemarle and surrounding Stanly County, where residents experience what it truly means to live and practice in a rural community. Nestled near Morrow Mountain State Park and the Uwharrie National Forest, and just minutes from Lake Tillery and Badin Lake, the area offers a high quality of life with easy access to hiking, water, and outdoor recreation. Residents benefit from a slower pace of life, meaningful relationships with patients and colleagues, and the opportunity to be known and valued
within the community while still maintaining access to the resources and support of a large health system.