The Value of a Rural Medicine Rotation on Encouraging Students Toward a Rural Career: Clear Benefits From the RUSC Program

Background: The Australian government has addressed rural medical workforce shortages through strategies such as the Rural Undergraduate Support and Co-ordination program, based on the premise that increased exposure to rural medicine within the curricula will contribute to more students adopting a rural career. Purpose: This article reports on how an Australian Rural Clinical School is meeting the aims of this initiative. Methods: Year 3 students (n = 463) from 10 eight-week rural rotations in 2005-2006 evaluated the content and value of rural lectures/workshops and a 6-week rural clinical placement. Results: The aggregate results suggest overall favourable evaluation of the various components of this rotation. Conclusions: A rural rotation can encourage students' interest in and understanding of rural medicine. The longitudinal nature and ongoing evaluation of this program may in time provide more conclusive evidence for this. Challenges such as increasing student numbers, decreasing clinical placements, and logistically complicated programs remain. Research toward alternatives to a real-life rural experience may be needed.