The goal of this three year proposal is to set up a training model for health care providers in rural areas and communities through a collaborative network of local institutions in Western China. his project constitutes the highest work priority of the Sichuan Center for Medical Education financed by a CMB endowment grant. In this project, an expert group containing experts from medicine, public health, teaching, administration, and leaders from local and government institutions will initiate research for collecting data and information to define training contents for rural health care providers.This group will produce a “Competency Requirements for Health Care Providers in Rural Areas and Communities” model which will be used at training workshops for health care providers in different regions. Feedback from trainees and locals will be collected and the training model and content will be adjusted. Experts, government officers, educators, and social workers will carry out assessment of the training models and develop a “best practiced model.” An international conference will be held to spread the new training models for health care providers in rural areas and academic papers and training materials will be published to support improved educational policy making.