Equivalence in Student Perceptions: A Study of Rural and Remote Medical Placements

A balance of practical experience and theoretical knowledge is key in medical education, especially in underserved communities. The James Cook University medical curriculum includes rural and remote clinical placements to help prepare graduates to better meet local community healthcare needs.

To compare medical student learning experiences between rural and remote clinical placements in Years 4 and 6.

Post-placement surveys were administered to fourth-year (MBBS4) (2016-2023) and sixth-year (MBBS6) students (2021-2023) to assess the quality of rural and remote placements. Student ratings of clinical supervision and learning experiences were collected using a 5-point Likert scale. Placement locations were categorized into "Rural" (MM4 and MM5) and "Remote" (MM6 and MM7) and responses collapsed into "Agree" and "Disagree" for analysis. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare ratings between locations.

A total of 558 MBBS4 and 95 MBBS6 students completed the survey, with 46.6% and 47.4% from rural placements respectively. Survey response rates were higher for the Remote group in both year levels. There were no differences in student ratings between rural and remote placements for any survey item for either year level.

There was no difference in student satisfaction between rural and remote placements suggesting both provide meaningful clinical learning experiences.