Surgical undergraduate education in rural Australia.
OBJECTIVE
Surgical undergraduate education in a rural setting is feasible and sound in terms of educational outcomes.


METHODS
The final-year surgical curriculum at the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, was restructured to include the option of a rural surgical term.


METHODS
Five provincial center hospitals in rural South Australia.


METHODS
Forty-three final-year medical students undertook rural surgical clerkships in 1998.


METHODS
End-of-year results and subjective ward assessments were compared between the group of students who completed rural surgical terms and the remainder of the student group who participated in tertiary hospital-based electives. Subjective student feedback was obtained in a survey conducted by the Clinical Education Development Unit at the University of Adelaide.


RESULTS
No significant (P =.45) differences in examination results were noted between the rural and city groups. A significant (P<.01) finding was observed in the subjective assessments, indicating that it was more difficult for the rural group to obtain an A grade compared with the city group. The rural students ranked the level of teaching and supervision highly and enjoyed the overall rural experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical undergraduate education is practical in a rural setting and, for educational outcome, seems to be at least as effective as city-based surgical clerkships in preparing students for final examinations.
Bruening
Martin H
MH
Department of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville Road, Woodville 5011, Adelaide, South Australia.
Maddern
Guy J
GJ
D001315:Australia; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000592:standards*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D012424:Rural Population; D013337:Students, Medical; D014505:Urban Population