title: Clinical placement and rurality of career commencement: a pilot study.
abstract: This article reports on a project that aimed to discover whether rural placement can influence new graduates to take up rural positions, and what factors play a role in the decision-making. This pilot study reports the findings from a pre-survey of students (n = 110) who completed a questionnaire at the end of their rural placement in the Greater Green Triangle region, Australia. Findings are compared with matched questionnaire responses for students who subsequently completed a post-survey after graduation and who commenced work (n = 28). Rural placement appears to be associated with commencing rural practice after graduation. More graduates with an urban home address commenced rural practice than graduates with a rural home address who started their careers in the city. Longer placements may sway those with a city background to start work in a rural area.
authors.affiliation: Greater Green Triangle University, Department of Rural Health (Flinders University and Deakin University), Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. adrian.schoo@greaterhealth.org
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schoo
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Stagnitti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002321:Career Choice; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011231:Preceptorship; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012424:Rural Population; D013337:Students, Medical; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires