Taken from the Primary Care Collaborative’s 2025 Evidence Report: Closing the Distance in Rural Primary Care, these five case studies highlight how rural primary care practices are innovating to meet local needs despite ongoing workforce shortages, financial pressures, and access challenges.
This case study focuses on Smyth County, Virginia, where local leaders are strengthening the health care workforce by investing in homegrown training pathways, scholarships and community partnerships. This demonstrates how recruiting and retaining clinicians who train locally—while integrating social services and behavioral health support—can improve access, continuity and trust in rural communities.