Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST) Program
- Need: There is a shortage of rural physicians in the Northwestern United States.
- Intervention: University of Washington medical students are receiving training through the TRUST program in rural, underserved communities across a five-state radius.
- Results: Long-lasting connections have been formed among regional and underserved communities, medical students, and rural health professionals, producing more rural physicians as a result.
Description
The
Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST) program is
designed to train and prepare University of Washington
medical students for future careers working in rural,
underserved communities throughout Washington, Wyoming,
Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI). This longitudinal
program places selected students in a rural medical
setting prior to beginning schooling and allows them to
return regularly to learn and work within the same
community. TRUST is centrally administered through the
University of
Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) Office of Rural
Programs.
TRUST seeks to provide a continuous connection between underserved communities, medical education, and health professions in the WWAMI region. The program's goal is to create a full-circle community by guiding qualified students through a special curriculum that connects communities to the UW School of Medicine and its network of affiliated residency programs in an effort to help meet the workforce needs of the region.
TRUST sponsors include:
- Washington Academy of Family Physicians and its Foundation
- Montana WWAMI Medical Education Program
- WWAMI Area Health Education Centers
- Idaho Medical Association
- University of Washington Department of Family Medicine
- University of Washington School of Medicine
The TRUST Program was originally funded by 2 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII Grants.
Services offered
This unique curriculum connects underserved WWAMI communities to the University of Washington School of Medicine and affiliated residency programs. A separate admissions process allows selected students to gain experience and build relationships with specific, underserved communities frequently over the course of the student's medical school career.
TRUST is connected with existing courses and programs at the University of Washington, such as:
- Underserved Pathway
- Rural/Underserved Opportunities Program (RUOP)
- WWAMI Rural Integrated Training Experience (WRITE)
The TRUST Continuum shows students' involvement in TRUST throughout their medical school careers.
Results
The TRUST program has succeeded in incorporating the instruction of rural health professionals into medical students' educations while longitudinally serving regional and underserved communities. As of 2017:
- 87 TRUST Scholars have graduated since the program's inception in 2008
- 73% of these graduates matched into primary care residency programs
The following articles offer a glimpse into how the TRUST program is impacting specific medical centers:
- Greer, T., Kost, A., Evans, D.V., Norris, T., Erickson, J., McCarthy, J., Allen, S. (2016). The WWAMI Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST) Program: An Innovative Response to Rural Physician Workforce Shortages. Academic Medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 91(1), 65-69.
- A silent calling: Raised by deaf parents, medical student seeks to serve the underserved, Spokesman-Review, 2018
- Spurred to succeed, UW Medicine, 2018
- Training future physicians for rural medicine, AMA Wire, 2016

Challenges
Since the TRUST program is somewhat decentralized, it requires significant resources from each WWAMI site. In addition, as the program grows, it takes more time to provide ongoing coordination as well as balance the celebration of differences against maintaining consistency.
Replication
To learn more about the TRUST program, visit:
- The Information for Applicants section to see the qualifications for applicants applying to the TRUST Program.
- The Curriculum section for an overview of the program's academic timeline.
- The Q&A section for answers to commonly asked questions relating to the program.
Contact Information
Kim Kardonsky, MD, Acting Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, DirectorTRUST Program
206.685.9497
kardok2@uw.edu
Topics
Health workforce education and training
Physicians
States served
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming
Date added
December 8, 2014
Date updated or reviewed
December 19, 2018
Suggested citation: Rural Health Information Hub, 2018. Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST) Program [online]. Rural Health Information Hub. Available at: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/project-examples/780 [Accessed 21 May 2022]
Please contact the models and innovations contact directly for the most complete and current information about this program. Summaries of models and innovations are provided by RHIhub for your convenience. The programs described are not endorsed by RHIhub or by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Each rural community should consider whether a particular project or approach is a good match for their community’s needs and capacity. While it is sometimes possible to adapt program components to match your resources, keep in mind that changes to the program design may impact results.