ECU Health’s effort to attract more doctors to rural communities has been successful with two of four practitioners in its inaugural Rural Family Medicine Residency Program class agreeing to stay in Duplin and Hertford counties.

Program leaders say its success will continue to grow as the number of participants increases. What started with four residents is now at 10 residents. The program will grow to 27 residents next year, said Dr. Audy Whitman, clinical assistant professor of family medicine at the Brody School of Medicine and program director of the Rural Family Medicine Residency Program at ECU Health.