Establishment of a community-based residency training program.

The Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia is now addressing the dearth of primary-care physicians in rural communities and, at the same time, attempting to improve the skills required for rural practice by sending its second-year residents directly to rural communities, where they learn experientially under the watchful eyes of well-established family physicians who are not only interested in teaching and learning, but also enjoy the companionship of a young family-practice resident.