The University of South Carolina School of Medicine established its Rural Primary Care Education Program in 1992 as one way to address the needs of residents in the rural areas of South Carolina. The ultimate goal is to improve access to direct medical care as well as provide preventive programs that promote healthy lifestyles.

Over the past 15 years, three (3) rural health programs have been established. Each consists of partnerships with a local rural family medical center and health promotion collaborations with local community groups. The family medical centers are located at the John A. Martin Primary Health Care Center in Fairfield County, the Sentinel Health Partners Kershaw practice in southern Lancaster County, and the CareSouth Carolina Bennettsville Center in Marlboro County.

Third-year medical students have the opportunity to spend a two-week family medicine clerkship in one of the rural medical centers. Each site also employs an education and research director who coordinates medical student rotations with the family medicine center and manages a number of community health outreach programs.