Publications

Selected Faculty Publications

2010

Halaas G, Brooks K. A twenty-first century curriculum for a 40-year-old rural medical education program: The Rural Physician Associate Program at the University of Minnesota. International Journal of Child Health and Human Development. 2010;4(1).

Description of RPAP program and its evolution.

Zink T, ed. The Country Doctor Revisited: A Twenty-First Century Reader. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press; 2010.

Zink T, Center B, Finstad D, Boulger J, Repesh L, Westra R, Christensen R, Brooks K. Efforts to graduate more primary care physicians and physicians who will practice in rural areas: Examining outcomes from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the Rural Physician Associate Program. Academic Medicine. 2010;85:590-604.

Current practice location and specialty choice were analyzed for UMN graduates (1990-2004). Students who participate in the Duluth and RPAP program are the most likely to choose rural practice (54%), primary care specialty (86%) and family medicine (90%).

Zink T, Power D, Finstad D, Brooks K. Is there equivalency between students in a longitudinal, rural clerkship and a traditional metropolitan program? Family Medicine. 2010;42(10):702-6.

Examines test score performance equivalency on traditional academic metrics between RPAP and students in the traditional metropolitan clerkships between 2004 and 2009.

Zink T, Power D, Olson K, Harris I, Brooks K. Qualitative differences between traditional and rural-longitudinal medical student OSCE performance. Family Medicine. 2010;42(10):707-11.

Examines end of rotation OSCE performance between RPAP students and students in the traditional metropolitan clerkships.

2009

Zink T, Halaas G, Brooks K. Learning professionalism during the nine-month clinical rotation in rural Minnesota. Medical Teacher. 2009;31:1001-6.

Themes related to the development of professionalism were examined in three years of end of RPAP essays. RPAP appears to create a supportive learning environment that incorporates psychological safety, appreciation of differences, openness to new ideas, and time for reflection, an ideal environment for developing professionalism.

2008

Halaas G, Zink T. Recruitment and retention of rural physicians: Outcomes from the Rural Physician Associate Program of Minnesota. Journal of Rural Health. 2008;24(4):356-363.

82% of RPAP graduates have chosen primary care, and 68% family medicine. Of those currently in practice, 44% have practiced in a rural setting all of the time, 42% in a metropolitan setting and 14% have chosen both, with more than 50% of their time in rural practice.

Zink T, Halaas G, Finstad D, Brooks K. The Rural Physician Associate Program: The value of immersion learning for third year medical students. Journal of Rural Health. 2008;24(4):364-370.

Themes were examined in three years of end of RPAP essays. The RPAP experience provides a nurturing, longitudinal, immersion learning experience that facilitates the gradual but steady development of clinical skills alongside a personal and professional mentor.

2007

Halaas G, Zink T, Miller J, Brooks K. Clinical Skills Day: Garnering the skills to spend the third year of medical school in rural Minnesota. 2007;7:788 (online). Available at www.rrh.org.au.

Examines the format and evaluation of a one-day immersion learning experience to orient RPAP students.

Selected Student Publications

2010

Brodt E. Learning to walk the healer’s path. In: Zink T, ed. The Country Doctor Revisited: A Twenty-First Century Reader. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press; 2010.

Ercole C. Pursuing the American dream. In: Zink T, ed. The Country Doctor Revisited: A Twenty-First Century Reader. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press; 2010.

Frerks T. The dressing change. In: Zink T, ed. The Country Doctor Revisited: A Twenty-First Century Reader. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press; 2010.

Kroening E. Learning from an Amish birth. In: Zink T, ed. The Country Doctor Revisited: A Twenty-First Century Reader. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press; 2010.

2009

Ercole C. Pursuing the American dream. Minnesota Medicine. 2009; February.

2008

Donovan C. Babies having babies. JAMA. 2008;300(15):1739-40.

Hoody D, Hanson S, Carter D, Zink T. Dramatic response due to the implementation of a stroke system of care: Case report from Granite Falls and protocol review. Minnesota Medicine. 2008; October.

Kroening E. Learning from an Amish birth. Family Medicine. 2008; February.

Licari A. Waiting. Academic Medicine. 2008; March.

Schoonover K. Stepping stones. Minnesota Medicine. 2008; December.

2007

Lelonek M, Zink T. First code. Minnesota Medicine. 2007; August.