title: Factors related to doctors' choice of rural pathway in general practice specialty training.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the factors eligible applicants consider in electing for a rural pathway into specialty training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Applicants to the Australian General Practice Training program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Applicants' initial preference of either a general or rural pathway to undertake specialty training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 2,221 applicants, 45% were Australian Medical Graduates (AMGs), 27% Foreign Graduates of Accredited Medical Schools (FGAMS) and 29% International Medical Graduates (IMGs). Through government regulation, two thirds (70%) were eligible to train on both general and rural pathways and a third (30%) were required to train rurally. For applicants eligible for general pathway (n = 1552), those with rural background [Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.7, 95% CI 2.7-5.2] and rural clinical school experience (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.5-2.8) were more likely to choose the rural pathway. In addition, FGAMS who were eligible for the general pathway were less likely to choose a rural pathway when compared with IMGs (OR = 0.33, 95%CI 0.1 = 0.7). In applicants who changed their training pathway from their initial to revised preference, lower Multiple-Mini-Interview (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.43-0.66) and Situational Judgement Test z-scores (OR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.56-0.83) were associated with a higher probability of changing from a general to rural pathway preference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For those eligible for a general or rural pathway, rural background and rural clinical school experience are associated with the decision to elect for rural training. Targeted support for international and foreign graduates of Australia/New Zealand schools may influence them to train rurally.
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School - Northern, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Premala
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sureshkumar
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School - Northern, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8613-682X
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School - Office of Medical Education, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Human Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Hale Consulting, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hale
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School - Northern, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D002321:Career Choice; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D005550:Foreign Medical Graduates / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D019035:Rural Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: postgraduate; registrar; rural background; rural clinical school; workforce planning