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Do Rural Student Health Clubs produce more rural health professionals ?. Sam Fogarty 1,2 , Elissa Milford 1,3 , Jennifer Moffatt 2 , Peter Baker 2 1 TROHPIQ, 2 Rural Clinical School, University of Queensland, 3 Northside Clinical School, University of Queensland.
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Do Rural Student Health Clubs produce more rural health professionals? Sam Fogarty1,2 , Elissa Milford1,3, Jennifer Moffatt2, Peter Baker2 1TROHPIQ, 2 Rural Clinical School, University of Queensland, 3Northside Clinical School, University of Queensland
Towards Rural and Outback Health Professionals in Queensland
Study Aims • Investigate the influence of TROHPIQ on increasing UQ MBBS students’ interest in a rural career • Evaluation of TROHPIQ events/activities • Explore UQ MBBS students’ attitudes towards a rural career
Methods Instrument 21-item paper based questionnaire Sample Years 1 – 4 MBBS domestic students, University of Queensland
Results - preliminary • Sample size: n=886; response rate = 58.5% • Only preliminary analysis conducted to date • Of particular interest is the qualitative data, presented here and illustrated with quotes
Results – Why I would work in a rural area Lifestyle ‘↓ traffic, ease of parking, familiarity of doctors, staff etc.’; ‘I like the small town vibe’ Experience ‘Of the greater medical experience that I will get compared to a metropolitan hospital’ Diversity ‘The diversity and scope of medical practice in rural hospitals’ Sense of community ‘I like the idea of being part of a community’
Results – Why I would NOT work in a rural area Family ‘Of poor educational opportunities for my (future) kids’; ‘My wife will not be able to find work there’ Isolation & remoteness ‘Everything closes on weekends, far away from cities & entertainment’; ‘Bad shopping!’; ‘It’s too far away from everything’ Lifestyle ‘I like the social opportunities of living in a metropolitan society’ Lack of specialities ‘My specialty of choice is not feasible in rural area’ Career ‘Reduced opportunity for career progression’
Results – For & against joining TROHPIQ For 1. Skills days 2. Interested in rural medicine 3. For information 4. Trips & events 5. For rural medicine experience Against • Apathy • Not interested (in TROHPIQ) • Cost • Not interested in rural medicine • Intending to join
Discussion • First known study investigating association between rural health club membership and rural career interest • Evidence-based policy for rural health clubs now possible • Incentives and barriers for TROHPIQ memb. • Doing research and being a FT student • Where to from here …