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Rural origin and rural medical exposure: Their impact on the rural and remote medical workforce in Australia.

Rural origin and rural medical exposure: Their impact on the rural and remote medical workforce in Australia.

  • June 25, 2003
  • Dunbabin, J, Levitt, L
  • Article

Australia struggles to recruit medical practitioners for rural and remote areas. Over the past decade, the government has invested in training strategies to encourage rural practice, based on evidence that rural origin and early rural exposure increase the likelihood of practicing in rural locations. All 11 Australian medical schools have adjusted their selection criteria and curricula to support rural exposure. This review explores how rural origin and exposure during training influence practice location choices, underpinning medical education initiatives from 1990-2003. Many initiatives are recent and not yet fully evaluated for their effectiveness in addressing rural workforce shortages.

  • Source: Rural and Remote Health

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