title: Tolerance of ambiguity, perfectionism and resilience are associated with personality profiles of medical students oriented to rural practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Resilience, coping with uncertainty and learning from mistakes are vital characteristics for all medical disciplines - particularly rural practice. Levels of coping constructs were examined in medical students with and without a rural background or an interest in rural practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional surveys identified two personality profiles, and their association with levels of Tolerance of Ambiguity, Resilience, Perfectionism-High Standards and Concern over mistakes as constructs indicative of coping. Medical students (N = 797) were stratified by rural background and degree of rural interest. Mediation analysis tested the effect of personality profile on levels of the coping constructs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More (72%) rural background students had Profile 1 which was associated with higher levels of Tolerance of Ambiguity, High standards, and Resilience, but lower Concern over mistakes. Non-rural background students reporting a strong rural interest also had Profile 1 (64%) and similar levels of coping constructs. Personality profile mediated the association between rural interest and levels of coping constructs regardless of background.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Having a rural background or strong rural interest are associated with a personality profile that indicates a better capacity for coping. Personality may play a part in an individual's interest in rural practice. Rural workforce initiatives through education should encourage and nurture students with a genuine interest in rural practice - regardless of background.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Medicine , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Diann S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Eley
authors.affiliation: b School of Public Health , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Janni K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: c Northern Territory Medical Program, School of Medicine , Flinders University , Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Narelle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: d Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine , Washington University in St Louis , St. Louis , MO , USA.
authors.forename: C Robert
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cloninger
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D058006:General Practice; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D000072639:Perfectionism; D010551:Personality; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012424:Rural Population; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D000078329:Workforce