Rural Residency Planning and Development Program - ELIGIBLE ENTITY/TYPE: Type 1–Rural Hospitals PD: Kalli Varaklis, MD, MSEd; Contact: (207) 662-7060; Kalli.Varaklis@mainehealth.org RESIDENCY PD: To Be Hired PATHWAY: General Primary Care SPECIALTY: Family Medicine FORMAT: Rural Residency Program (non-RTP) SPONSORING INSTITUTION: Maine Medical Center (MMC), 22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME 04102; ACGME Sponsor Program Code: 220384 RURAL TARGET AREA: Franklin County, ME FUNDING REQUESTED: $750,000 (3 yrs.) SUSTAINABILITY OPTION: Financial sustainability will be sought via MaineHealth’s qualification for Medicare GME, and through institutional and support. TOTAL # RESIDENTS: 6 EXP. ACGME ACCRED. & RES. MATRICULATION DATES: Initial application for ACGME accreditation will be submitted by 11/30/2025, recruitment starting fall 2026 for first class matriculation on 7/1/2027 PRIORITY PTS: NA LIST OF AWARDS: MaineHealth (9 Hospital Systems) has received 20 HRSA awards within the last 5 years. (Att. 10), including: D33HP31665 HRSA Preventive Medicine Residencies (MMC); D04RH40264 HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach (FCHN); GA1RH39574 HRSA Rural Health Outreach & Rural Network Development (FCHN) P13RH33167 HRSA Rural Residency Planning & Development: Rural Training Track in Psychiatry (MMC, Pen Bay) ABSTRACT: We will develop a new ACGME-accredited Rural Residency in Family Medicine (RiFM) to support the expansion and retention of Maine’s rural primary care workforce. This RiFM builds upon Maine Medical Center’s (MMC) experience of successful implementation of similar rural residency tracks. The RIFM will add clinical capacity to serve the rural region of Franklin County, ME, of which 87% is a primary care HPSA and/or designed MUA. MMC has documented success in retaining graduates to practice in Maine (~77% of MMC FM residents in last 5 years). We believe a RiFM in Franklin County will be a key strategy to address the county’s physician shortage and population health needs. Geographic Area/Target Pop.: Maine is the oldest and second most rural state in the U.S. Franklin County has higher poverty rates than the Maine median, more residents with at least 3 chronic conditions and lower rates of access to primary care services related, in part, to cost barriers in accessing care. Clinical Collaborations: Residents will complete most of their training at Franklin Memorial Hospital and its three medical practices. Residents will rotate at MMC for an inpatient Pediatrics rotation and two months of inpatient Obstetrics. RiFM residents will have full access to the educational, simulation and research opportunities of MMC and a close relationship with the MMC FM residency. On-site AHEC and dental clinic will afford additional clinical opportunities. Measurable Objectives: The RiFM will enroll 2 residents/year by July 2027, achieved by meeting the following Objectives: (1) Define competencies for rural Family Medicine (FM) physicians and develop evidence-based curriculum and competency-based evaluation tools that ensure graduating residents are well-equipped for independent practice of FM; (2) Design the RiFM residency, including clinical experiences, leadership, quality improvement (QI) and scholarly activities and population health experiences, to meet the FM ACGME Program Requirements (3) Provide FM faculty development for teaching and evaluation. Provide Program Director-specific faculty development to lead a residency program; (4) Achieve ACGME Accreditation; 5) Recruit two high-quality RiFM residents to enroll by July 2027; (6) Employ innovative approaches, emerging healthcare delivery strategies and evidence-based medical education best practices to enhance the quality of the RiFM program; (7) Report required measurable outcomes and engage in continuous QI (8) Track residents’ career outcomes for >5 years, including retention in FM and practice in rural areas, as well as other key career outcomes; and (9) Develop, finalize and implement sustainability plan.
