The goal of this year's program is to educate attendees in the following areas: health professions (recruitment and retention), emerging health technology and telemedicine, best practices in rural clinical practice, health care policy and its effect on rural providers, health care system change, management, rural health research, and rural health disaster planning.  Participants will be provided information and instruction on a variety of tools that are necessary to develop model and innovative programs and practices.  The conference will also provide information and instruction on a variety of subjects to interest all rural health practitioners, hospital administrators, clinic directors, state and federal rural health workers, academics, community members, and others interested in rural health care.  Participants will gain new perspectives on old issues and valuable information on new challenges.