17 November 2006
Two Monash University medical students hope the findings from their study into rural student recruitment will help Australian universities generate a future wave of undergraduate interest in rural medicine.
Mr Ryan Spencer and Mr Anthony Cardin presented their research paper Successful recruitment of pre-clinical medical students to rural clinical schools at the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine 4th Scientific Forum in Adelaide this week.
Mr Spencer, who is completing his final year of study at Bendigo Regional Clinical School, said the findings are based on two years of data, collected from students training through Monash University's Rural Clinical School program.
"Monash University has had considerable success in recruiting students to their rural clinical schools," he said. This paper explores the reasons behind that success, with the aim of enhancing future rural health student recruitment processes across the national university landscape.
Dr George Somers, a Monash Senior Lecturer General Practice and Rural Medicine, said the study was a valuable resource for universities seeking to boost rural medicine enrolments.
"We already know that students who are exposed to rural medicine during their undergraduate years are significantly more likely to return to the country to practice," he said.
"This paper offers significant guidance about some of the strategies universities should be implementing to attract medical students to rural and regional areas during their critical clinical training years."
Dr Somers presented his research paper, A sense of rural background, years of rural upbringing and medical students' intention to work in a rural environment, to the Adelaide forum which was held from 16 to 19 November.
For further information contact Ryan Spencer on 0429 968 185 or Dr George Somers on 0417 135 966.
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