Will Australian rural clinical schools be an effective workforce strategy? Early indications of their positive effect on intern choice and rural career interest

Eley, Diann S. and Baker, Peter G. (2007) Will Australian rural clinical schools be an effective workforce strategy? Early indications of their positive effect on intern choice and rural career interest. Medical Journal of Australia, 187 3: 166-167.


Author Eley, Diann S.
Baker, Peter G.
Title Will Australian rural clinical schools be an effective workforce strategy? Early indications of their positive effect on intern choice and rural career interest
Journal name Medical Journal of Australia  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2007-08-06
Sub-type Article
Volume number 187
Issue number 3
ISSN 0025-729X
1326-5377
Start page 166
End page 167
Total pages 2
Editor M. B. Van Der Weyden
Place of publication Australia
Publisher Australasian Medical Publishing Company (AMPCo)
Collection year 2008
Language eng
Subject 339999 Other Education
C1
730209 Rural health
740301 Higher education
749999 Education and training not elsewhere classified
920506 Rural Health
Abstract Objective: To use short-term indicators (hospital internship choice, and interest in a future rural career) to assess how the University of Queensland rural clinical school is meeting its program objectives. Design: Cross-sectional quantitative data collected through self-report questionnaires. Setting: University of Queensland rural clinical school (UQRCS). Participants: Year 4 students who attended the UQRCS for their entire clinical year in 2006. Results: Most students were from an urban background. Over the year, interest in a future rural medical career increased measurably across the cohort. The most important factors in choosing to study at the UQRCS were the quality of teaching, level of student contact with clinical teachers, increased patient access, and accommodation facilities. Comparison of graduates’ choice of internship location for 2006 compared with 2005 showed a trend away from urban or metropolitan toward regional or rural hospitals. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the primary attraction of UQRCS is the quality of education, and rural undergraduate training is a popular choice for urban students. Although the long-term effect on rural medical workforce remains to be determined, the trend at UQRCS of new graduates choosing non-urban internships is encouraging
Keyword hospital internships
rural medicine
medical career progression
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code

 
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Created: Wed, 27 Feb 2008, 13:55:20 EST by Erin Bowly on behalf of Rural Clinical School - South West Qld Region