Theories abound as to why young physicians won’t practice in rural areas. But the key reason why young medical doctors don’t fill these much-needed roles readily is a lack of accountability in publicly funded Graduate Medical Education programs, researchers suggest.

A new round of metrics doesn’t bode well for rural healthcare.

The U.S. Census for 2010 says that one in five people —19.3% of the population, about 59.4 million people—live in rural America. Unfortunately, a new report this month from George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services says that only 4.8% of new physicians plan to establish a practice in rural areas, despite the critical need. Read more by clicking here.