Rural competencies in emerging medical practitioners: Beyond clinical skills

Recruitment and retention of rural doctors remains a challenge in Australia. The Queensland Rural Generalist Program was developed to address this challenge and provides a range of tailored professional development opportunities to support rural medical training, recruitment and retention. The Rural Generalist Vocational Preparation Workshop was developed to maintain connection with trainees during a known attrition risk period and address a gap in training that focused on competencies required for rural practice.

The Rural Generalist Vocational Preparation Workshop, designed using adult learning principles, includes an optimal balance between theory, scenario-based learning and facilitated group discussions. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to evaluate the workshops delivered between 2015 and 2017.

The workshops were attended by Queensland Rural Generalist Program trainees in the year prior to undertaking a vocational training position in a rural hospital or general practice. Participants were from 10 Hospital and Health Services in the Queensland public health sector at the time of attendance.

An evaluation survey captured participant feedback about the workshop, its value, impact and their intention to implement changes in practice.

Fifty-one trainees attended the workshops across four locations.

Eight-eight per cent of participants reported intentions to implement changes to practice in: pursuit of career options and enhanced team work, leadership skills and networking.

Evaluation results indicated that Rural Generalist Vocational Preparation Workshop was a highly valued opportunity. It provided future rural medical practitioners with professional support and networking opportunities, promoted identity formation and stimulated rural career planning.