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Incorporating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into program evaluation: lessons from a rural medicine initiative
Jason C Booza1, Patrick D Bridge, Anne Victoria Neale
1Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA. ah0201@wayne.edu
Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM
|January 7, 2010
Summary
Medical students interested in rural practice received training near or in semi-rural areas, not the most remote locations. This evaluation informed recruitment efforts for rural physician training programs.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Rural Health
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Background:
- Physician shortages in rural areas necessitate innovative training programs.
- Wayne State University School of Medicine implemented a rural core curriculum to encourage rural practice careers.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the effectiveness of a rural medicine interest group.
- Determine if students selecting rural clerkships/externships secured rural clinical training.
Main Methods:
- Compared three measures of rurality (percentage rural, dichotomous rural/nonrural, urban area boundaries).
- Utilized geographic information systems (GIS) for thematic mapping of Michigan counties.
- Overlaid student practice locations onto rural characteristic maps.
Main Results:
- Student placement in rural practices varied based on the definition of rurality used.
- Students trained in settings near or semi-rural, rather than the most remote rural areas.
Conclusions:
- Process evaluation identified gaps in preceptor recruitment for truly rural sites.
- Enhanced efforts are underway to recruit physicians for more remote rural areas.
- GIS mapping aids students in selecting appropriate rural training sites based on defined levels of ruralism.
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