Rural Residency Planning and Development Program
This grant funds the creation of accredited rural physician residency programs in key specialties to address doctor shortages and improve healthcare access in rural areas.
Funder: Health Resources and Services Administration
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (Full application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $750,000 per award; estimated total program funding is $11,250,000; approximately 15 awards expected.
Summary: Supports start-up funding for new, accredited rural physician residency programs to expand access to health care and address physician shortages in rural areas.
Key Information: Only domestic organizations are eligible; no cost sharing or matching required.
Description
The Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), aims to improve and expand access to health care in rural areas. The program provides start-up funding for the development of new, accredited, and sustainable rural residency programs—including rural track programs (RTPs)—in qualifying medical specialties. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of physicians trained and practicing in rural communities, thereby addressing ongoing physician shortages.
Eligible specialties include:
- Family medicine
- Internal medicine
- Psychiatry
- General surgery
- Obstetrics and gynecology
Funded programs must ensure that residents complete more than 50% of their training in rural clinical sites, as defined by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), and focus on preparing physicians for rural practice. Long-term sustainability must be achieved through stable funding sources (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, or other public/private options).
