International/Inner City/Rural Preceptorship (ICRP)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Will this program limit the medical specialty options for my career path?
- What are the advantages of participating in this program?
- How does the ICRP program impact the M3 clerkship year?
- What about housing during the M3 rotations?
- Where are the ICRP sites?
- Is there a large amount of work associated with this program?
- Are there scholarship opportunities associated with this program?
- What do I need to do to participate?
- Are there restrictions on how late in my medical school career that I am eligible to join ICRP?
- Will this program limit the medical specialty options for my career path?
There are no restrictions on which career path you may choose. Because primary care careers best fit the needs of medically underserved communities, the ICRP Program encourages, but does not require you to choose a medical specialty in Primary Care. For more information, review our career statistics on ICRP graduates. - What are the advantages of participating in this program?
The ICRP provides you with a unique opportunity to explore a career that emphasizes international, inner city or rural medicine. Tertiary medical centers, such as MCVH, convey a different view of medicine from what is seen in smaller community venues. In addition, the ICRP provides an opportunity for students with common interests to develop strong support groups and long-lasting friendships. In this program you will:- Learn the multiple issues that challenge medically underserved populations.
- Learn to use the Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC) model, which engages students in a method for problem-solving priority health issues within their communities of interest.
- Have an opportunity to apply for a summer stipend project between your M1 and M2 years.
- Become a student member of the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU).
- Have fun!
- How does the ICRP program impact the M3 clerkship year?
As an ICRP student, you will spend extended time in your community of interest for many of your core rotations, including four weeks in internal medicine, two weeks in pediatrics, two weeks in surgery, four weeks in family medicine and four weeks in an optional elective. In the M4 year, you will spend an additional four weeks in family medicine conducting research for your COPC project.
Students report that they enjoy the one-on-one preceptor to student relationship during the clerkships. There are no differences in scores between ICRP and on-campus students on their end-of-clerkship examinations.
- What about housing during the M3 rotations?
Housing is provided in the community, unless you already have housing there. Frequently, the community hospitals will provide you with meal tickets, gym privileges and other amenities that may be on site. - Where are the ICRP sites?
If your community of interest is not currently developed as one of our ICRP sites, we will work to develop that site for you provided that we have adequate physician resources for site development. See Training sites for a list of our currently established sites. - Is there a large amount of work associated with this program?
All M1 and M2 students have time carved out of the schedule for electives. The ICRP courses in M1 and M2 years occur during these elective times. Most of the elective activities are for enrichment and do not demand extra studying. We are very sensitive to the rigors of your educational program and try to be flexible in accommodating everyone in the group.
Examples of these elective activities include:
Visits to homeless clinic Saving Smiles Visits to rural residency program Tar Wars Medical Spanish Hypertension Clinic Working with CARITAS Methadone Clinic Health Fairs AA Meetings Visit to Central Virginia Food Bank Pastoral Care - Are there scholarship opportunities associated with this program?
There are no scholarships associated with the program. However, the Virginia Loan Repayment Programs are available to help you repay qualifying educational loans after graduation, if you chose to practice in one of the designated underserved areas. - What do I need to do to participate?
Requirements for admission into the International/Inner City/Rural Program are:
- submission of a completed application (including one-page essay)
- interview with program director
- Are there restrictions on how late in my medical school career that I am eligible to join ICRP?
Most students join the ICRP program during their M1 year. Advantages for joining early in your medical school career include bonding with a small group and participating in educational opportunities that incorporate several aspects of underserved medicine. Study time constraints may force some students to postpone joining until their M2 year. These students are welcome to participate in the M2 ICRP elective through the end of the first semester of their second year.
Formal admission into the ICRP program takes place during the second semester of the M2 year. To be eligible for admission you must participate in the M1 or M2 elective. Students will not be eligible for M3 ICRP clerkship placement without meeting this criterion.
