Characteristics of University of Auckland medical students intending to work in the regional/rural setting.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the level of interest in regional/rural (RR) practice in final year Auckland medical students and to investigate the demographic characteristics and speciality intentions of these students.


METHODS
A questionnaire was distributed to all graduating students from The University of Auckland's School of Medicine (SOM) in 2006 and 2007. Students intending to work in a RR setting had their demographic data and intended specialty compared with students intending to work in the city.


RESULTS
There were 186 respondents, with a response rate of 71%. Of this cohort, 58% stated an intention to work in a city, 15% in an RR setting, and 27% were undecided. RR-destined students were more likely to be Maori and less likely to be Asian then their city-destined counterparts. RR students were more likely to have strong interests in general practice than students intending to work in the city.


CONCLUSIONS
Prior to the introduction of a specific rural selection pathway, Auckland medical students have shown a similar level of interest in RR medicine when compared to previous studies. However the proportion of students interested in RR health is significantly below the current proportion of people living in RR areas. The large proportion of students undecided on career setting at graduation suggests there may be room to increase the proportion further through formative early postgraduate experiences, or other incentives.
Pasley
Thomas
T
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand.
Poole
Phillippa
P
D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007586:Job Application; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D009520:New Zealand; D012307:Risk Factors; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012577:Schools, Medical; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013038:Specialization; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019037:Urban Health Services; D000078329:Workforce