Background

The Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative (RIFDI) Enterprise-Wide Initiative is a joint program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Academic Affiliation and the Office of Rural Health (ORH). RIFDI began its first training group, or cohort, in October 2019.

The main goal of RIFDI is to create and carry out a structured faculty development program for health care professionals from different disciplines who work in rural and underserved communities. The program focuses on building teaching skills so these professionals can better train future providers who will care for Veterans.

Results from the VHA All Employee Survey show that clinicians who teach are more satisfied with their jobs and more likely to stay in their positions. Because of this, RIFDI aims to improve teaching skills to support outcomes such as participants’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and job satisfaction.

The program also looks at outcomes in the clinical learning environment, including how satisfied trainees are and whether trainees choose to stay and work in these rural settings. By strengthening educators, RIFDI helps create better training experiences and more stable care teams for rural Veterans.

Goals and Objectives

RIFDI is an 18‑month training program designed to attract and support rural health care providers, improve clinician job satisfaction and retention, and strengthen teaching and training skills for educators in rural settings.

The RIFDI mission is to promote and expand health professions education (HPE) in rural areas. Its vision is to develop a workforce that is ready and able to meet the needs of rural Veterans.

To reach this mission and vision, RIFDI aims to:

• Improve the capacity and quality of HPE programs in rural areas: RIFDI works to make sure rural education programs are strong and tailored to the unique challenges of rural communities.
• Enhance engagement among staff and clinician educators: The program encourages collaboration and teamwork at participating RIFDI sites, building a supportive environment for effective teaching and mentorship.
• Improve recruitment and retention of educators and trainees: RIFDI focuses on attracting and keeping clinician educators and health professions trainees (HPTs) in rural practice, while also improving job satisfaction and retention for rural health care professionals, so that Veterans have a stable and dedicated workforce.

Methodology

Rural VHA sites are identified and invited to apply to RIFDI. Each participating site can select two educators from any clinical profession to take part in the program through an application process.

To support learning, each site must provide those educators with a total of 2 hours per week of clinical release time during the 18‑month program. This protected time allows participants to focus on developing their teaching skills without adding extra burden to their regular workload.

Before the curriculum was created, a needs assessment was conducted. This assessment gathered information on interest in the program, barriers and supports for participation, and important topic areas for the curriculum. The results guided the development of the RIFDI curricular framework.

Curriculum: RIFDI delivers its curriculum through several methods, including:

• Webinars and virtual sessions
• Peer support and small-group discussions
• Coaching and mentoring relationships
• Experiential learning and applied projects
• Use of both traditional and modern distance-learning technologies

The curriculum covers topics that were prioritized in the needs assessment. Faculty from VHA and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine teach much of the content, and the program also uses high-quality materials developed by professional educational organizations. Together, these elements create a rich, interprofessional learning experience for rural educators.

Impact on Rural Veteran Health

For many clinical educators, RIFDI has been a valuable and meaningful experience. Participants report increased knowledge and skills in many areas important to rural health professions education.

Areas with the greatest improvement include:

• Understanding the key elements of effective teaching
• Improving the ability to retain health professions trainees at rural sites
• Managing workplace conflict more effectively
• Providing care that is centered on the needs and experiences of rural Veterans

Many RIFDI participants describe how they use what they have learned in their daily teaching. Examples include changing their teaching approaches, using new strategies in supervision, and incorporating RIFDI materials into local education programs.

The interprofessional focus of RIFDI—bringing together educators from different clinical backgrounds—has been a unique and important strength. This approach supports better educational outcomes and helps participants grow as professionals.

Some graduates of RIFDI have advanced into key leadership roles, such as:

• Designated Education Officers
• Regional Pharmacy Leads
• VA Site Directors and VA Program Directors
• Psychotherapy Coordinators

The experiential project component of the RIFDI curriculum is another important feature. Participants develop local projects that allow them to collaborate with staff at their VHA facilities. These projects often lead to lasting improvements in education and care for rural Veterans.

The long-term impact of RIFDI is especially clear in these experiential projects. For example, at the VA Maine Healthcare System, VA Manchester Healthcare System, and VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System, RIFDI participants created a multi‑site faculty development program called the Executive Leadership Forum.

Another powerful example is the “Great American Smokeout Health Fair Event” at the White River Junction VA Medical Center. A RIFDI graduate organized this event with help from Whole Health, Pharmacy, Research, Behavioral Health, and nursing students.

At the health fair, Veterans received vital sign checks, tobacco cessation referrals, resources, and other support to help them quit tobacco and improve their health. One Veteran who had smoked for more than 60 years talked with a health psychologist at the event, joined a tobacco cessation group, and was referred for additional support therapies. Stories like this show how RIFDI projects can directly improve Veteran health and well-being.

RIFDI also appears to reduce employee turnover, which is especially important in rural communities that face provider shortages. Participants who were more engaged in the program had a much lower likelihood of leaving their jobs compared to similar staff who did not participate.

RIFDI has reached more than 34 sites across the country through five cohorts, demonstrating strong national growth. This expansion helps ensure that more rural Veterans benefit from skilled, committed educators and clinicians.

Key Takeaways

RIFDI provides targeted training for clinical educators so they can better train, mentor, and support trainees who care for Veterans in rural areas. The program has shown positive results for both educators and the facilities where they work.

• RIFDI learners report a high level of satisfaction with the program and find the training helpful in becoming stronger educators and educational leaders.
• Participants gain knowledge, skills, and confidence in many areas of health professions education.
• Through structured peer groups, participants develop educational projects for their sites. These projects improve local learning environments and become part of the lasting legacy of RIFDI graduates.
• By supporting educator growth, RIFDI helps build a more stable and skilled workforce that can meet the needs of rural Veterans now and in the future.

Download the Printable PDF for Healthcare Providers and Researchers.

References

• Office of Academic Affiliations. (2025). Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. Washington, DC: Office of Rural Health.

Contact

• Program Contact: Office of Academic Affiliations, Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative. vhaoaarifdi@va.gov
• Funding Acknowledgement: Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Rural Health, NOMAD #PRFY-00556.
• Suggested Citation: Office of Academic Affiliations. (2025). Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. Washington, DC: Office of Rural Health.

Rural Health - Navigation

• Office of Rural Health Home page:
  https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/index.asp
• Enterprise-Wide Initiatives (EWI) page:
  https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/Enterprise-Wide-Initiatives-EWI.asp
• Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers (VRHRC) page:
  https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/Veterans-Rural-Health-Resource-Center-VRHRC.asp