title: A short-term rural placement can change metropolitan medical students' knowledge of, and attitudes to, rural practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether a short-term placement of metropolitan medical students in a rural environment can improve their knowledge of, and change their attitudes to, rural health issues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical students taking part in the March and May 2013 3-week Rural Health Modules (RHMs) were invited to participate in focus groups and complete questionnaires before undertaking the RHM, after a 2-day rural orientation and at the end of the RHM. Students were asked to comment on a range of issues affecting rural health care including their attitude to pursuing a rural career. Focus group transcripts were thematically analysed and questionnaire data were statistically analysed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The RHM is a 3-week program designed and run by the University of Melbourne's Rural Health Academic Centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Responses to questionnaire items from before and after completing the RHM, scored on a seven-point Likert scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  69 of the 101 RHM students took part in this study. The focus groups identified five main themes in rural health care: access; teamwork, models of care and generalist practice; overlapping relationships; indigenous health; and working in a rural career. In all five areas, a change was seen in the depth of knowledge students had about these issues and in the students' attitudes towards rural health care. The questionnaires also showed a significant shift in the students' appreciation of, and positivity towards, rural health issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Undertaking a 3-week RHM changed students' perceptions of rural health and significantly improved their knowledge of issues facing rural health practitioners and patients.
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. julian.wright@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Julian R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bourke
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Waite
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Thom A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenni M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Marmo
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Maxine L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Malcolm
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pierce
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019035:Rural Health Services; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria