We provide funding to create new rural residency programs. Only two percent of residency training occurs in rural areas.1 We partner with the Bureau of Health Workforce to improve access to health care by funding programs to train more physicians in rural communities. Training physicians in rural areas increases the likelihood of practicing in a rural community.2
How does funding help RRPD grantees?
We award up to $750,000 (per grant) to support start-up costs to establish new rural residency programs. Grantees may use funding to cover accreditation costs, faculty development, and resident recruitment. This includes both direct and indirect costs.
How can my organization apply?
If eligible, you must show specific needs for:
- Family medicine
- Internal medicine
- Preventive medicine
- Psychiatry
- General surgery
- Obstetrics and gynecology
Read about the most recent funding notice: HRSA-24-022.
What technical assistance do you provide?
The RRPD Technical Assistance (RRPD-TA) Program provides webinars, TA advisors, and toolkits to RRPD grantees. Limited free resources are available to other organizations interested in rural residency development, such as the new and improved Rural GME Hospital Analyzer tool (registration required).
Topics include:
- Accreditation
- Financing
- Faculty development
- Curriculum development
- Recruiting and training residents
What impact has RRPD had?
In FY 2019, we funded our first cohort of RRPD awards. Since then, HRSA awarded $54M to 72 organizations across 36 states and six medicine disciplines.
As of April 2024, award recipients:
- Created 44 new accredited rural residency programs or rural track programs in family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, and general surgery
- Received approval for approximately 563 new residency positions in rural areas
- 31 programs enrolled 306 resident physicians training in rural clinical settings
Who are our award recipients?
We supported award recipients across 36 states.
- View a list of our 2019-2023 award recipients
- Read more about RRPD Program recipients and specialties
Contact us
Jason Steele
RRPD Program Coordinator
Email: RuralResidency@hrsa.gov
1United States Government Accountability Office. Graduate Medical Education: Programs and Residents Increased during Transition to Single Accreditor; Distribution Largely Unchanged. GAO-21-329. April 2021.
2 Hempel S, Maggard Gibbons M, Ulloa JG, Macqueen I, Miake-Lye I, Beroes J, et al. Rural Healthcare Workforce: A Systematic Review. VA Evidence-based Synthesis Program Reports. Washington, DC: Department of Veterans Affairs; 2015. 79.1.