The changing characteristics of rural GPs

Rural regions of Australia remain relatively underserved by general practitioners. The capacity to make sensible policy depends on a deeper understanding of who rural general practitioners are.

454 NSW rural general practitioners were surveyed with a 65% return rate. Our sample was intentionally skewed to greater rurality.

Women remain under represented in rural practice. 37% of our sample were aged under 40, with over 90% Australian graduates. Rural doctors continue to do significant amounts of training overseas. Some doctors in rural practice drifted there without planning, and 25% of those under 40 are intending to leave. Young doctors provide a number of procedural services to their patients, including anaesthetics and obstetrics, but this is strongly influenced by town size. Doctors with a rural upbringing are no more likely than those without a rural background to practice in more rural areas.

Australian rural general practitioners are relatively young and providing a broad range of services to their patients. A number of rural practitioners have not planned for rural practice and may require further training after arrival. Australian graduates continue to train overseas, suggesting that procedural experience in Australia is inadequate. Town size is a strong predictor of procedural skills being available to patients.