Personality and a social support system are two factors that may influence women medical students' choice of a rural primary care specialty. The 2-year study of 11 University of New Mexico School of Medicine women students engaged in 4-month rural primary care preceptorships included interviews and a personality inventory. Three women had generally positive rural preceptorships. They felt accepted by the community and by their preceptors. These women accepted themselves easily as competent physicians and were "judging" types, making fast decisions depending on routine and organization. Five women had mixed experiences. They felt somewhat abandoned by what they considered an unsupportive medical school and they were less integrated into the community. Several of the women commuted home on the weekends, removing themselves even more from the rural community social structure. School-family conflicts caused some to withdraw. Three women had negative experiences. Alone in extremely conservative communities, their isolation was severe. They had no community contact and little preceptor contact outside of work. All three felt inadequate and depressed and their self-esteem suffered. Researchers concluded that women in rural health care need contact with the formal health care system and with appropriate role models. (SB)