Preparedness for rural community leadership and its impact on practice location of family medicine graduates.
OBJECTIVE
To identify non-clinical dimensions of preparedness for rural practice and to determine whether preparedness for rural practice is predictive of rural practice location.


METHODS
Cross-sectional postal survey mailed in 2001.


METHODS
Communities across Canada where graduates were practising.


METHODS
Graduates (n = 369) of the family medicine residency program at the universities of Alberta (U of A) and Calgary (U of C) between 1996 and 2000, inclusive.


METHODS
Using a 4-point scale, graduates rated the extent to which the residency program prepared them for eight dimensions of rural practice: clinical demands of rural practice, understanding rural culture, small community living, balancing work and personal life, establishing personal/professional boundaries, becoming a community leader, handling a 'fish bowl' lifestyle, and choosing a suitable community.


METHODS
Identification of non-clinical dimensions of preparedness for rural practice and whether scores on preparedness scales are predictive of rural practice location.


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 76.4%. Factor analysis of the eight preparedness items produced two factors, 'rural culture' and 'rural community leader' which explained 72% of the variance. The alpha coefficient for each factor was 0.87. Odds ratios revealed that family medicine graduates prepared for rural community leadership roles were 1.92 (CI = 1.03-3.61) times more likely to be in rural practice. Rural physicians were also 2.14 (CI = 1.13-4.03) times as likely to have a rural background.


CONCLUSIONS
Preparedness to be a rural community leader and having a rural background were predictive of rural practice. Educators should consider this in both family medicine residency admissions policy and practice and when designing and implementing family medicine residency curricula.
Woloschuk
Wayne
W
Undergraduate Medical Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. woloschu@ucalgary.ca
Crutcher
Rodney
R
Szafran
Olga
O
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D011365:Professional Practice Location / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*