On September 8, 2025, Coudersport Rotary Club welcomed Dr. John Boll as our speaker at A&W West End Grill. Dr. John Boll attended Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and attended a family medicine residency in Williamsport. He practiced full spectrum family medicine (including OB) in eastern Tennessee in an underserved rural community for 10 years. In 2012 he and his family moved back to Williamsport where he joined the UPMC Williamsport Family Medicine Residency faculty.

Since 2019, Dr Boll developed a Rural Family Medicine Residency in which residents spend their first year in Williamsport and the second and third years in Wellsboro or Coudersport.

Dr. Boll reported that of 800 Family Medicine Doctors in PA, 25% are of retirement age. Potter County has lost 33% and Tioga County lost 12% of their doctors . By 2036 it is projected that there will be a 56% physician shortage in rural areas as compared to 6% in urban areas. He said that only 3% of residents train in rural areas and 26% of graduates stay within 5 miles of where they did their residency.

Dr. Boll’s program is “Training the Modern Country Doctor” using one-on-one mentoring. There have been quite a few applicants for this program. He asked that the community work towards making connections between community members and family medicine residents and their families, thus helping the family medicine residents thrive in a rural community.

Thank you Dr. Bolling for your interesting and informative presentation.