title: The perceived usefulness of community based education and service (COBES) regarding students' rural workplace choices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Community Based Education and Service (COBES) are those learning activities that make use of the community as a learning environment. COBES exposes students to the public and primary health care needs of rural communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate students' perceived usefulness of COBES and its potential effect on their choice of career specialty and willingness to work in rural areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mixed method cross sectional study design using semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and focus group discussions were used for health facility staff, faculty and students and community members.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy questionnaires were administered to students and 134 were returned (78.8% response rate). The majority (59.7%) of students were male. Almost 45% of the students indicated that COBES will have an influence on their choice of career specialty. An almost equal number (44%) said COBES will not have an influence on their choice of career specialty. However, 60.3% of the students perceived that COBES could influence their practice location. More males (64.7%, n = 44) than females (57.8%, n = 26) were likely to indicate that COBES will influence their practice location but the differences were statistically insignificant (p = 0.553). The majority of students, who stated that COBES could influence their practice location, said that COBES may influence them to choose to practice in the rural area and that exposure to different disease conditions among different population groups may influence them in their career choice. Other stakeholders held similar views. Qualitative data supported the finding that COBES could influence medical students' choice of specialty and their practice location.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical students' 'perceptions of the influence of COBES on their choice of career specialty were varied. However, most of the students felt that COBES could influence them to practice in rural locations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Professions Education and Innovative Learning School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, P. O. Box 1883, Tamale, Ghana. amalbaanthony@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amalba
authors.affiliation: School of Health Professions Education, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W N K A
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: van Mook
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Professions Education and Innovative Learning School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, P. O. Box 1883, Tamale, Ghana.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mogre
authors.affiliation: School of Health Professions Education, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A J J A
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Scherpbier
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D003153:Community Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004501:Education, Medical; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D019035:Rural Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Career choice; Choice of specialty; Community; Community-based education; Medical students; Rural placement; Service