“Kind of Feel Like the Lone Outpost”: A Qualitative Exploration of Barriers to Professional Development for Rural Primary Care Providers at the Veterans Health Administration
Karla L. Miller, Jennifer Hale‐Gallardo, Jaime R. Wilson, Melissa L. Swee, L. Ida Tovar, Bret Hicken · 2026
Read “Kind of Feel Like the Lone Outpost”: A Qualitative Exploration of Barriers to Professional Development for Rural Primary Care Providers at the Veterans Health Administration by Karla L. Miller, Jennifer Hale‐Gallardo, Jaime R. Wilson, Melissa L. Swee, L. Ida Tovar, Bret Hicken (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13483286.txt.
Description
Karla L. Miller and others talk rural primary care doctors in the Veterans Health Administration about obstacles to continuing professional training. In 2026, the qualitative review speaks with nine rural doctors, six outpatient care heads, and three site heads, using talks and focus groups until no new themes appear. Rurality is classified with commuting-area codes.
Six barriers emerge. They are late or unclear notice of training chances, short staffing with too little cover and protected time, and high personal cost. Long distances, professional isolation, and a sense that the primary care role is undervalued complete the list. The authors argue that better communication, guaranteed training time, and wider access could strengthen retention and care for rural veterans. Managers designing workforce programs will find concrete, first-hand obstacles rather than abstract complaints.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Karla L. Miller, Jennifer Hale‐Gallardo, Jaime R. Wilson, Melissa L. Swee, L. Ida Tovar, Bret Hicken |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 40 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |