New Zealand's vocational Rural Hospital Medicine Training Programme: the first ten years

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Rural Health Workforce Development

Background:

• Established in 2008, the Rural Hospital Medicine Training Programme (RHMTP) aimed to build New Zealand's rural medical workforce.
• This study assesses the RHMTP's impact over its initial decade of operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of the RHMTP over its first 10 years.
• To understand the RHMTP's success in generating a rural hospital medical workforce.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods descriptive study utilizing database interrogation and trainee surveys.
• Data sources included Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, University of Otago, and Medical Council of New Zealand records.
• Surveys gathered information on employment, rural background, and trainee experiences.

Main Results:

• From 2009-2018, 98 doctors entered the RHMTP, with 29 graduating.
• 92% of practicing graduates work in rural New Zealand, primarily in rural hospitals.
• Trainees appreciated the programme's flexibility and clinical exposure, but noted challenges with training requirements and funding.

Conclusions:

• The RHMTP has successfully contributed to the rural hospital workforce in its first decade.
• The programme shows steady growth, but barriers related to training alignment and funding need to be addressed.
• Optimizing the RHMTP is crucial for benefiting rural communities across New Zealand.