Rural-PRIME is part of the University of California’s “PRograms In Medical Education” or PRIME, which is designed to produce physician leaders who are trained in and committed to helping California’s underserved communities. 

UC Davis Rural-PRIME was created in 2007 to train future physician leaders committed to advancing health equity for California’s rural communities. Twenty percent of the population in California lives in rural areas, but only nine percent of physicians practice rurally.  With these disparities, rural patients have poorer outcomes on several measures than their urban counterparts: higher levels of chronic conditions, higher rates of hospitalizations and higher rates of cancer deaths.  Rural-PRIME was developed to address the lack of access in rural areas, and to reduce health care disparities in rural populations. Students interested in gaining knowledge and expertise in caring for California’s rural communities are encouraged to apply regardless of their eventual specialty choice. 

The goals of Rural PRIME are to:  

• Strengthen the desire for new physicians to practice in rural communities in California– one of California’s most medically underserved areas 
• Reduce health inequities in rural California communities  
• Improve the health status of rural California residents 
• Form lasting relationships with communities, hospitals, clinics and physicians to enhance health care in the region 

Key aspects of the Rural PRIME curriculum include:  

• Additional education on topics relevant to rural communities including rural public health issues, pesticide exposure, addiction medicine, rural law, and more  
• Visiting community organizations located in or serving rural communities during years 1 and 2  
• A summer elective between 1st and 2nd year of medical school with a focus on rural/underserved communities.  
• A minimum of 20 weeks during their clerkship year at sites located in California’s rural communities
• Access to the COMPADRE network of residency programs serving rural and underserved communities in the Northern CA and Southern OR region. This offers additional elective opportunities throughout all 4 years of medical school.