Effect of medical student preference on rural clinical school experience and rural career intentions
Walters, L., Seal, A., McGirr, J., Stewart, R., DeWitt, D., and Playford, D. (2016) Effect of medical student preference on rural clinical school experience and rural career intentions. Rural and Remote Health, 16. 3698. pp. 1-9.
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Abstract
Introduction: The key parameter for rural clinical schools (RCSs) is to provide at least 1 year of clinical training in rural areas for 25% of Australian Commonwealth supported medical students with the intent to influence future rural medical workforce outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe the association between a medical student’s selection preference and their RCS experience and rural career intent.
Methods: Medical students completing an RCS placement in 2012 and 2013 were encouraged to complete a survey regarding their experience and future career intent. Data were analysed to compare medical students for whom the RCS was their first choice with students who described the RCS as other than their first preference.
Results: Students for whom RCS was their first choice (724/1092) were significantly more likely to be female, come from a rural background and be from an undergraduate program. These students reported more positive experiences of all aspects of the RCS program (costs, access, support and networks, safety) and were 2.36 times more likely to report intentions to practice in a non-metropolitan area (odds ratio(OR)=2.36 (95% confidence interval(CI)=1.82–3.06), p<0.001). This was true for students of rural (OR=3.11 (95%CI=1.93–5.02), p<0.001) and metropolitan backgrounds (OR=2.07 (95%CI=1.48–2.89), p<0.001). More students in the first-choice group (68.8%) intended to practice in a regional area (not a capital or major city), significantly higher than the 48.4% of participants in the other-preference group (χ2 (1) 42.79, p<0.001).
Conclusions: The decision to choose an RCS placement is a marker of rural career intention and a positive rural training experience for students of both rural and metropolitan backgrounds. It may be important to identify other-preference students and their specific social support needs to ensure a positive perception of a future rural career.
| Item ID: | 48952 |
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| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1445-6354 |
| Keywords: | general practice career intent, medical students, rural clinical schools |
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| Additional Information: | When an article is accepted for publication in RRH, all authors are required to sign and return a form assigning copyright to James Cook University, which administers the journal, before publication can proceed. When an article is published, James Cook University grants to the authors the rights to make the final published version of the article available in digital form over the internet on a website under the control of their employer or through any digital repository under the control of their employer. http://www.rrh.org.au/background/InformationForAuthors.asp |
| Date Deposited: | 29 May 2017 22:27 |
| FoR Codes: | 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4203 Health services and systems > 420399 Health services and systems not elsewhere classified @ 50% 39 EDUCATION > 3999 Other Education > 399999 Other education not elsewhere classified @ 50% |
| SEO Codes: | 93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9305 Education and Training Systems > 930599 Education and Training Systems not elsewhere classified @ 100% |
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