The Rural/Underserved Opportunities Program (R/UOP) provides opportunities for University of Washington students between the first and second years of medical school to be placed with a preceptor in a rural or underserved clinical site in western Washington. R/UOP hopes to encourage primary care careers in clinical practice in addition to exposing the students to a rural or undeserved community.
Students receive broad clinical experiences and contact with the community and other members of the health care team. They may complete histories and physicals, assist with office procedures, attend births and assist in surgery. In addition, students have gone on home visits with public health and hospice nurses, worked with other providers, and attended town meetings and community cultural events. Students receive a stipend and funds for travel. They are assisted in locating and paying for local housing.
Preceptors are practicing physicians in rural sites or urban clinics serving the underserved. Most, but not all, are family physicians. A preceptor must be willing to take responsibility for a student’s experience at the site. This includes working with the student to establish a schedule of experiences, supervising patient-student contacts and helping the student evaluate her or his progress.
All preceptors are appointed as consultants or clinical faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine. R/UOP is recognized as an official educational program of the School of Medicine. Medical students and their preceptors are indemnified under the University’s liability policy for possible incidents arising from the students’ participation.
Visit the UW School of Medicine page for extensive information about the R/UOP program.