First practice: family physicians initially locating in rural areas

Area of Science:

• Medical Workforce Research
• Rural Health Policy
• Physician Distribution Analysis

Background:

• Quantifying the proportion of family physicians in rural practice is crucial for understanding healthcare access.
• Examining differences between Canadian and international medical school graduates in rural practice provides insights into physician migration and retention.
• Initial rural practice patterns are important for addressing physician shortages in underserved areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the proportion of family physicians in rural practice in Canada.
• To analyze differences in initial rural practice between Canadian and international medical school graduates.
• To track changes in rural practice patterns from 2000 to 2011.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Canadian Medical Association postal code master file for physician distribution data.
• Defined rural practice as physicians located outside census metropolitan areas or agglomerations.
• Estimated initial rural practices based on the year of undergraduate medical degree completion.

Main Results:

• In 2011, two-thirds of rural family physicians graduated from Canadian medical schools.
• Between 2000-2011, international medical graduates had a higher proportion in rural practice but a greater drop-off rate.
• Recent international graduate cohorts showed decreasing proportions in rural practice, unlike steady rates for Canadian graduates.

Conclusions:

• International and Canadian medical graduates exhibit distinct approaches to rural practice.
• International graduates may use rural practice as a pathway to Canadian licensure or to fulfill obligations.
• Declining international rural practice may stem from increased Canadian postgraduate training and licensure opportunities.