Low volumes, high stakes: Developing a rural critical care fellowship

Abstract

Training physicians to practice in rural and frontier settings is critical to address rural communities' health care needs. Newly qualified physicians experience multiple and multidimensional transitions across physical, cultural, psychological, and social domains in their work and life. The specific challenges they face transitioning into rural or frontier practice can translate into physician retention issues for health care systems. One obstacle is providing care to critically ill patients where volumes are low, but stakes are high.