Rural Residency Planning and Development Program - Eligible entity/facility type – Rural Hospital Program pathway – General Primary Care Residency Medical Specialties – Family Medicine Residency Format – New Rural Track Program (RTP) Sponsoring Institution - MaineHealth - 22 Bramhall St, Portland, ME 04102 Rural Target Counties – Hancock and Washington Counties in Maine Funding amount requested - $749,030 Program sustainability option – Option 2 Projected total number of residents – 9 Expected ACGME accreditation - 3/27 First resident matriculation dates – 7/28 Funding priority points requested – Requesting funding priority 1 for geographic distribution. List of recent HRSA awards received within the last 5 years Federal Award Project Title: Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction Award Number: 1 CE1HS54201-01-00 Program Overview: Mount Desert Island Hospital’s Rural Family Medicine Residency (MDIFM) is designed to expand access to primary care in rural Maine by training physicians to meet the unique health and social needs of Hancock and Washington Counties—both classified as 100% rural by the 2020 U.S. Census. MDIH, a 25-bed critical access hospital located in Bar Harbor, is the safety-net provider for the region and serves communities designated as Medically Underserved Areas/Populations by HRSA. MDIFM aims to prepare residents with the core competencies required for rural Family Medicine practice, addressing healthcare disparities such as geographic isolation, poverty, aging populations, delayed access to care, and elevated rates of chronic disease and childhood adversity. Key Partnerships: MDIH partnered with MaineHealth to serve as the program’s Sponsoring Institution. MaineHealth—the state’s largest integrated health system—offers deep experience in graduate medical education, including the longstanding MHMMC Family Medicine Residency. Their support ensures administrative strength, accreditation readiness, and alignment with rural workforce development goals. Residents will also rotate at Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital, a regional facility offering robust OB and pediatric training led by dedicated physicians and midwives—broadening residents’ clinical exposure in higher-volume care environments. Program Objectives & Activities: 1. Define Rural FM Competencies & Curriculum • Develop evidence-based curriculum with rural-specific competencies • Design rotations, didactics, simulations • Establish competency-based evaluation systems 2. Build Educational Partnerships • Expand current and new clinical partners • Ensure all experiences meet ACGME standards 3. Develop Rural Faculty Capacity • Launch ongoing faculty development • Establish evaluation systems and required committees 4. Achieve ACGME Accreditation • Support Program Director development • Finalize and submit ACGME application 5. Resident Recruitment (First Class: July 2028) • Develop SOPs, outreach, and marketing • Select and onboard first resident cohort 6. Integrate Innovative Training Approaches • Employ simulation, QI, interprofessional care, scholarly activities • Embed continuity clinics in patient-centered medical homes 7. Establish Outcome Tracking & CQI • Track and report ACGME and HRSA metrics • Follow resident outcomes >5 years (e.g., rural retention, populations served) 8. Enhance Recruitment & Retention • Support MDIFM graduate retention at MDIH and other rural hospitals • Attract residents from non-rural programs to rural practice 9. Ensure Program Sustainability • Conduct annual evaluation and quality improvement • Maintain accountability with MDIH and MaineHealth leadership
