Impact of Community-Oriented Medical Education on Medical Students’ Perceptions of Community Health Care: Qualitative Study

Enhancements of the COME program, including additional early clinical exposure and faculty development, were associated with improved students' perceptions of community health care. The increased focus on the caring and human dimension domains underscores the role of practical experiences in fostering collaboration, communication, and patient-centered care. The theme-based synthesis further suggests that the revised program prompted more frequent reflections on professional identity formation and self-directed learning while maintaining a stable foundation of community health care concepts. Mentorship by community hospital attendings, alongside structured clinical exposure, appears crucial in shaping medical students' understanding and commitment to rural medicine. Ongoing longitudinal evaluations are warranted to assess the sustained impact of COME programs on career trajectories in underserved areas.