title: Influence of rural background and rural medical training on postgraduate medical training and location in New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of the Otago Medical Programme's rural entry pathway and rural immersion programme on postgraduate medical training and location.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study of 2008-2011 medical school graduates. Rural background/training included students gaining preferential entry to medical training based on rural residence or schooling, and/or those who spent a year training in a rural setting. Postgraduate medical training and location were obtained from the NZ Medical Register in December 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  112/733 students (15.3%) had rural background/training. Significantly more students with rural background/training were training in rural hospital medicine or general practice after graduation. Multiple logistic regression identified both variables (rural background and rural training) as independently statistically significant (Odds Ratios (95%CI); rural background OR 2.1, 95%CI 1.2-3.6; rural training OR 2.5, 95%CI 1.4-4.5; p=0.002). Almost twice as many students with rural background/training were working in non-Major Urban Centres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings are similar to international reports on the influence of medical schools' rural initiatives on postgraduate training choices and practice location. University policies aimed at increasing the proportion of medical graduates practising in rural areas appear to be working as intended.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shelker
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zaharic
authors.forename: Branko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sijnja
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, PO Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand. paul.glue@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Glue
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019035:Rural Health Services; D000078329:Workforce