Montana WWAMI students recently joined peers, faculty and staff from across the WWAMI region for the annual Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST) Retreat at Camp Lutherhaven in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The gathering explored the challenges rural communities face in accessing healthcare and how future physicians can help address gaps in care.
Dr. Jay Erickson, Montana WWAMI Assistant Clinical Dean, presented The Future of the Rural Generalist, examining physician workforce shortages and the need for doctors equipped to meet a broad range of healthcare needs in rural communities.
Dr. Erickson highlighted several workforce challenges, including declining primary care physician supply in rural counties between 2010 and 2019 and a shrinking rural surgical workforce. Citing American College of Surgeons data from March 2024, he noted that 60% of rural counties lacked a surgeon. Access to maternity care is another concern, with 36% of Montana’s rural counties lacking maternity services, according to 2025 data cited in his presentation.
These gaps underscore the importance of rural generalists, physicians trained to provide comprehensive primary care, emergency care and additional clinical services tailored to their communities. Depending on local needs, those skills may include obstetrics, surgery, behavioral health or addiction medicine.
“Rural generalism is important for rural America, and all the varied forms it can take,” Dr. Erickson said.
For Macager McAllister, a second-year Montana WWAMI student, the presentation reinforced the importance of preserving this broad approach to rural medicine.
“It has long been known that the rural generalist, who covers all corners of medicine, is a dying breed and it was nice to see some light shed on the topic,” McAllister said. “I was left with a desire to revive the rural generalist.”
Dr. Erickson said he was encouraged by the students’ commitment to addressing rural healthcare needs.
“This generation of TRUST scholars is definitely focused on problem solving and working to improve healthcare for the populations they will serve,” Dr. Erickson said.