Public policies to promote community-based and interdisciplinary health professions education.

CONTEXT Many rural and inner-city communities in the United States have persistent shortages of health professionals. In addition, health services are increasingly delivered in community-based settings by interdisciplinary teams. Yet, health professions students in the US continue to receive most of their training in urban hospitals. OBJECTIVE To assess the extent to which national and state government programs in the US that fund health professions education provide financial resources for community-based and interdisciplinary education in the health professions. METHODS Literature review. FINDINGS Most national and state government funding provided to health professions schools and clinical training sites in the US is not targeted to community-based and interdisciplinary education. Nationally, the Bureau of Health Professions, however, does administer some targeted grant programs. In addition, a number of states are addressing these needs through targeted appropriations to health professions schools and Medicaid payments to clinical training sites. RECOMMENDATIONS The US experience with government funding of health professions education suggests several questions that policymakers in other nations should consider and several principles for developing effective policies to promote community-based and interdisciplinary education.