title: The impact of an early_exposure program on medical students' interest in and knowledge of rural medical practices: a questionnaire survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many medical students in Japan were brought up in urban areas, thus rural medical practice is often unfamiliar to them. The University of Tsukuba created a one-day early_exposure program to provide freshman students with experience in rural practices. This study was designed to clarify how this one-day early_exposure program affected medical students' attitudes toward and knowledge of rural practices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  First-year medical students (n = 103) were assigned to one of seven rural clinics in which they experienced rural practice for one day. A pre- and post-program questionnaire, rated on a 5-point Likert scale, was administered to assess students' interest in and knowledge of rural medical practice, with higher scores indicating greater interest and knowledge. Respondents who gave answers of 4 or 5 were defined as having high interest and knowledge. One hundred and one (98.1%) responses were received from students. After the program, the percentage of students interested in rural medical practices was increased (pre- and post-program: 39.0% and 61.0%, respectively; P < .001), as was the number of students who wanted to become physicians in a rural medical practice (pre- and post-program: 53.0% and 73.0%, respectively; P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our one-day early_exposure program demonstrated a positive impact on medical students' interest in and knowledge of rural medical practice. Further follow-up surveys are needed to clarify whether these effects are sustained long-term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Akashi Medical Center, Ohkubo-cho Yagi, Akashi, Hyogo 674-0063 Japan.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishimaru
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575 Japan.
authors.forename: Ayumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takayashiki
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575 Japan.
authors.forename: Takami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeno
authors.affiliation: Community-Based Medicine Training Station, Tsukuba University Hospital, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8576 Japan.
authors.forename: Yurika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.affiliation: Community-Based Medicine Training Station, Tsukuba University Hospital, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8576 Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575 Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeno
keywords: Early exposure; Rural practice; Undergraduate education