2014 Rural Clinical School Training and Support Program Snapshot survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Rural Health Workforce Studies

Background:

• The Rural Clinical Training and Support (RCTS) program aims to address Australia's rural medical practitioner shortage.
• Existing research focuses on students, neglecting the RCTS academic and professional staff.
• This knowledge gap impacts workforce and succession planning for the RCTS program.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gather data on the current RCTS workforce through a pilot survey.
• To identify characteristics, motivations, and future intentions of RCTS staff.
• To inform workforce and succession planning for the RCTS program.

Main Methods:

• A web-based survey was distributed to all RCTS professional, academic, and clinical academic staff.
• Data collection occurred from March to June 2014.
• The survey included quantitative demographics and qualitative open-ended questions.

Main Results:

• The RCTS workforce was estimated at 970, with 316 complete responses (40.9%).
• The majority of respondents were female (71%) and professional staff (62%), with a predominant age group of 40-60 years.
• Academics were older (62% >50 years) with fewer rural backgrounds (42%) compared to professionals (62%).
• Staff cited lifestyle and passion for rural health as key motivators, but contract uncertainty was a concern.
• 84% of staff supported a leadership and succession program to prevent future shortages.

Conclusions:

• The study provides valuable insights into the RCTS workforce's views and aspirations.
• Current workforce data serve as a benchmark for future trend monitoring and shortage prediction.
• Addressing staff concerns and implementing succession planning are vital for RCTS sustainability.