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Combined research and clinical learning make rural summer studentship program a successful model
Alexandra Zorzi1, James Rourke, Maryann Kennard
1Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, Canada.
Education for Health (Abingdon, England)
|October 21, 2005
Summary
The Rural Summer Studentship Program (RSSP) successfully combines medical student research and clinical learning in rural settings. This program is highly valued by students, increasing their interest in rural medicine.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Rural Health Research
Background:
- Medical schools aim to offer practical research and rural learning experiences.
- Rural physicians often have research ideas but lack resources for execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Rural Summer Studentship Program (RSSP) at Western University.
- To assess the program's impact on medical students' rural research and clinical learning.
Main Methods:
- The RSSP placed medical students in rural communities for 8-week summer research and clinical learning experiences.
- Students received secretarial coordination, research assistant support, and faculty supervision.
Main Results:
- 44 students participated between 1999-2003, undertaking projects in over 20 communities with 30+ preceptors.
- Published research and conference presentations resulted from student projects.
- Students reported increased interest and knowledge in rural medicine and highly valued the program.
Conclusions:
- The RSSP model effectively integrates supported medical student research with clinical learning in rural areas.
- The program is a highly rated and successful educational model for rural medical training.
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