Rural Primary Care Residency Training Grant Program - Phase 1: Program Planning and Development

The Rural Primary Care Residency Training Grant Program aims to enhance rural healthcare by funding the establishment of primary care residency training programs in Minnesota. Grants of up to $250,000 per year for three years support planning, accreditation, and training site improvements. This initiative focuses on increasing the number of trained primary care physicians in rural areas, thereby strengthening the healthcare workforce and improving access to quality care for underserved populations.

The Rural Primary Care Residency Training Grant Program, authorized by Minnesota Statutes Section 144.1507, awards grants to eligible programs to plan, implement, and sustain rural primary care residency training programs. Grants support programs with costs such as planning and development, obtaining accreditation, recruiting and training residents and faculty, and improving training sites. The program is designed to increase training opportunities in rural Minnesota, with the goal of strengthening the rural primary care physician workforce.
A planning and development phase for one to three years to establish a new ACGMEaccredited rural primary care residency training program or a new rural residency training track within an existing accredited primary care residency program.
To receive planning and development funding, applicants and grantees must submit annual proof of application for federal funds to support planning and development, if funds are available and the program is eligible. If the program is not eligible for federal funds, they must submit documentation of ineligibility.
Programs that receive federal funds to support planning and development must submit a revised budget to MDH reflecting the reduced need for state funding. The MDH grant award may be reduced or concluded based on the federal funding award.
Upon completion of year one of this phase, grantees must submit the following:
Attestation of the financial feasibility and viability of the rural residency training program or track, based on the results of the GME consultation. The MDH Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) will review the financial feasibility findings and must deem them acceptable in order to approve further grant funding.Letters of support from rural residency training sites and all other partners.Grantees who meet all requirements and wish to continue planning and development wil receive an annual award letter detailing the funds that will be added to their grant in years two and three.
Up to $250,000 per year for up to three years, for a maximum of $750,000. Grantees who successfully complete the planning and development phase may have funds added to their grant in following years for program sustainability (phase 2). To demonstrate successful completion of phase 1, grantees must submit the following:
Proof of ACGME accreditation.Documentation of plans to begin training the first rural resident class no later than the academic year immediately following the end of the grant period.