Medical student learning on a distributed training platform in rural district hospitals

Decentralising medical school training enhances curriculum relevance, exposing students to generalist patient care in diverse contexts.

The aim of the study was to understand the student experiences of learning during their 7-week Family Medicine rural rotation.

Final year medical students who had completed their Family Medicine rotation in November 2022.

A qualitative study involving 24 final year students (four semi- structured interviews and four focus group discussions [4 x 5 students]). All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

Analysis revealed positive learning experiences and identified the following themes: taking responsibility for learning, the generalist context, teaching and learning in context and managing the learning environment.

Active participation in hospital activities, exposure to disorientating dilemmas that challenged assumptions and reflection on these experiences led to transformative learning and knowledge co-construction.Contribution: The study contributes to the discussion and reinforces the advantages of distributed, experiential training, highlighting the positive impact of meaningful participation and transformative learning opportunities.