Rural Health is National Health

Cahaba + UAB Family Medicine Residency

Centreville
AL
Rural Track Program
Family Medicine

Cahaba + UAB Family Medicine Residency, with four distinct campuses, two of which are rural (one in Centreville, AL and one in Marion, AL).

Cahaba Family Medicine Residency started in 2013 as a truly rural full spectrum Family Medicine residency program located in Centreville, AL. The mission of the program is to train residents to provide medical care to children, adults, and elderly, including care throughout pregnancy and delivery so that graduates are equipped to work in rural, underserved and international communities, capable of meeting the medical needs of the marginalized. In 2018 CFMR expanded by adding the Urban Track in Birmingham, AL. Currently, there are 4 tracks, Rural, Urban, Frontier and Highlands.

Community

Living in a rural community means that you are a critical part of the medical services available for your neighbors, coworkers and friends. You see your patients as you go for a run or go to a store, or at church. You see an athlete on the field and in the clinic. You recognize familiar faces and know the families they represent. You see need, and have the ability to help meet that need.
CFMR Rural Track surpasses definition as a training program. While working closely together for 3 years incredible bonds are formed between residents that live nearby and support one another. Sincere care for one another, an unyielding team mentality and an appreciation for laughter and fun are fundamental characteristics of our rural program.

Full Scope
Family Medicine

Rural residency training closely approximates long term rural medical practice. Serving patients well in this context means being prepared to meet their procedural needs.

Our mission is to train and equip graduates to work in underserved environments whether they be in rural, urban or international communities. Recognizing similarities between resource-poor areas domestically and internationally, our residents acquire a tangible and translatable skill set and knowledge base to provide for the needs of patients in inpatient and outpatient settings. Responding to the breadth of knowledge required of a competent Family Medicine physician, our longitudinal curriculum teaches residents to integrate what they are learning on a day by day, patient by patient basis. Understanding that access to thorough prenatal and post delivery care, well child and sick child care dictates the health of Alabama families, Cahaba Family Medicine Residency has devoted significant educational time, effort and resources for residents to meet these patients’ needs. Finally, whether it be obtaining their insulin through our Dispensary of Hope, assisting with access to procedural care detailed below or representing our patients’ needs in Washington, D.C. advocacy in its various forms is a key element of CFMR Rural Track.

Diversity

Throughout its existence Cahaba Family Medicine Residency has welcomed, educated and graduated residents of different races, faiths, backgrounds and life experiences. We believe those life experiences, while unique to each person, when shared improve our understanding of the world in which we live and work. Engaging one another with love, sincerity and respect helps us to develop cultural sensitivity to improve our engagement with patients and their families.

Program Contact

Brittany Shanks, C-TAGME
brittany.shanks@cahabamedicalcare.com
205-277-2395

Program Director

Dr. John Waits

If you or your program would like to engage with RMTC, we’d love to connect! Join or support our collaborative to foster and sustain medica education in rural places.