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Observations on a rural health manpower project
Journal of Medical Education
|February 1, 1977
Summary
The Rural Externship Program encourages health science students to practice in rural areas. Over half of surveyed graduates practice rurally, with many citing the program as a key factor in their decision.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Rural Health
- Public Health
Background:
- The Rural Externship Program was established to address healthcare professional shortages in rural areas.
- It aimed to foster an appreciation for rural practice among health science students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the Rural Externship Program and evaluate its impact on students' attitudes towards rural practice.
- To assess the program's influence on graduates' decisions to practice in rural settings.
Main Methods:
- An interdisciplinary, eight-week summer program providing supervised rural experience for health science students.
- Post-program attitude assessment and a survey of graduated externs regarding their practice location decisions.
Main Results:
- 240 students participated in the program since 1970.
- Of 61 surveyed graduates, 55% were practicing in rural areas.
- 53% of those practicing rurally identified the externship as an important factor in their choice.
Conclusions:
- The Rural Externship Program positively influences health science students' attitudes toward rural practice.
- The program is effective in encouraging graduates to pursue careers in rural healthcare settings.