Medical students go rural to get a professional edge
The variety and opportunities presented by rural medical training may give medical students an important professional edge, a recent report has found.
The report, commissioned by Rural Health Workforce Australia (RHWA), involved in-depth interviews with 25 medical students and 41 junior doctors from Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Greg Mundy, CEO of RHWA says:
“The next generation is looking for quality experiences that will develop their skills and boost their career prospects.
As a sector, we need to highlight the opportunities for hands-on learning, working in smaller teams and broader scope of practice. Going rural gives you all of that and more.”
The report found that a number of factors contribute to the decision to relocate rurally. These include:
- Individual characteristics
- Personal and family considerations
- The quality and duration of rural experiences
- The need for strong professional and social support
- Good internet access for study, research, clinical support and for social reasons
- Flexibility to train part-time
Rural Health Workforce Australia is making primary health care more accessible for regional, rural and remote communities.
More recent articles on My Health Career:
- I decided to go rural and it helped me smash my med school exams and advance my career
- If we can go rural you can too! Dr Gerry Considine and Dr Melanie Considine
- How to avoid burnout – for med students and doctors
- New medical schools – part of the problem or part of the solution? A Q&A with Neel Gobin and Christopher Lemon from the NSW Medical Students’ Council
Image: Dan – freedigitalphotos.net