Across the U.S., medical schools face challenges recruiting rural clinical preceptors. Clinical workload demands, limited institutional support, and student housing and transportation needs can constrain rural training opportunities.
Indiana's House Enrolled Act 1358, enacted in 2026, requires students enrolled in Indiana medical schools to complete a rural clinical rotation. The Bowen Center's new policy brief examines physician preceptor distribution as schools prepare to meet this requirement.
Of 3,423 physicians reporting service as preceptors statewide, 933 practice in wholly or partially rural counties. Ten rural counties have no identified physician preceptors. This brief includes a county-level map to help inform discussions about rural training capacity.
Read Rural Rotations for Indiana Medical Students here.