Determining constructs of high-quality rural health student placements: a multiple case ECOUTER study

Area of Science:

• Health professions education
• Rural health workforce development
• Work-integrated learning

Background:

• Rural communities face health service inequities due to workforce maldistribution.
• Rural health student placements are vital for a sustainable rural health workforce.
• Current quality proxies for rural placements are insufficient to guide development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the determining constructs of high-quality rural health student placements in Australia.
• To inform the development and facilitation of effective rural health placements.

Main Methods:

• A multiple case study design using the ECOUTER methodology.
• Data collected and analyzed iteratively from Australian University Departments of Rural Health staff.
• Virtual mindmapping and focus groups used to identify and refine placement constructs.

Main Results:

• Nine constructs determining high-quality rural health student placements were identified.
• These include placement planning, student selection, communication, orientation, supervision, resources, learning opportunities, community connection, and student wellbeing.
• Strong agreement on constructs was achieved across diverse Australian rural contexts.

Conclusions:

• Nine interconnected and contextually dependent constructs define high-quality rural health student placements.
• These findings highlight the complexity of delivering effective work-integrated learning in rural settings.
• Understanding these constructs is essential for improving rural health workforce distribution.