BACKGROUND: Increasing the recruitment of doctors, including general practitioners (GPs), to rural areas is recognised as a health priority internationally. Australian GP trainees (registrars) complete a mandatory minimum of 6 months training in a rural area. The rationale for this includes the expectation of increased likelihood of a future choice of rural practice location. METHOD: A qualitative study employing semistructured in-depth interviews and a modified grounded methodology. Participants were 15 registrars from an Australian GP postgraduate training program. RESULTS: Though generally a rewarding clinical learning experience, negative aspects of the rural placement included the disruption to personal lives of rural relocation and the stresses involved in higher levels of clinical responsibility. These stressors could undermine rather than enhance clinical confidence. Anxiety and depression were accompaniments for some registrars. Intention to practice rurally was little influenced by this compulsory placement. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of positive effects on rural practice destination in studies of medical undergraduates should not be generalised to GP registrars. The positive clinical learning experience of most registrars in rural terms must be balanced with the social dislocation involved in rural relocation and the adverse effects of the rural experience, for some registrars, on professional confidence and psychological well being.
BACKGROUND: Increasing the recruitment of doctors, including general practitioners (GPs), to rural areas is recognised as a health priority internationally. Australian GP trainees (registrars) complete a mandatory minimum of 6 months training in a rural area. The rationale for this includes the expectation of increased likelihood of a future choice of rural practice location. METHOD: A qualitative study employing semistructured in-depth interviews and a modified grounded methodology. Participants were 15 registrars from an Australian GP postgraduate training program. RESULTS: Though generally a rewarding clinical learning experience, negative aspects of the rural placement included the disruption to personal lives of rural relocation and the stresses involved in higher levels of clinical responsibility. These stressors could undermine rather than enhance clinical confidence. Anxiety and depression were accompaniments for some registrars. Intention to practice rurally was little influenced by this compulsory placement. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of positive effects on rural practice destination in studies of medical undergraduates should not be generalised to GP registrars. The positive clinical learning experience of most registrars in rural terms must be balanced with the social dislocation involved in rural relocation and the adverse effects of the rural experience, for some registrars, on professional confidence and psychological well being.
Authors: Alison Fielding; Benjamin Eric Mundy; Amanda Tapley; Linda Klein; Sarah Gani; Michael Bentley; Rachael Boland; Lina Zbaidi; Mieke L van Driel; Elizabeth Holliday; Parker Magin Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2021-04-09 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Alison Fielding; Dominica Moad; Amanda Tapley; Andrew Davey; Elizabeth Holliday; Jean Ball; Michael Bentley; Kristen FitzGerald; Catherine Kirby; Allison Turnock; Neil Spike; Mieke L van Driel; Parker Magin Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-04-26 Impact factor: 3.006
Authors: Tobias Morgan; Amanda Tapley; Andrew Davey; Elizabeth Holliday; Alison Fielding; Mieke van Driel; Jean Ball; Neil Spike; Kristen FitzGerald; Simon Morgan; Parker Magin Journal: Aust J Rural Health Date: 2022-02-23 Impact factor: 2.060
Authors: Rebecca L Walcott; Angela M Murcia; Gloria M Berry; Christian F Juna; María Isabel Roldós; Phaedra S Corso Journal: Int J Equity Health Date: 2018-02-02