Describes a community project curriculum and results from a postgraduate survey 2004-2017. Graduates report the community project experience correlated with achieving competence in 7 of 8 of the rural competencies described by Longenecker, et al. The project also was statistically significantly correlated with postgraduate rural practice. Programs seeking to design a community medicine curriculum with the intention for graduates to succeed in rural practice should consider the community project. It uses place-based education, population health and community health assessment methods in addition to many other benefits. Keys to success include faculty involvement in mentoring residents through their project and dedicated administrative time to work on the project.