Rural general practice training: Experience of a rural general practice team and a postgraduate year two registrar

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Undertaking training in rural areas is a recognised way of helping recruit staff to work in rural communities. Postgraduate year two medical doctors in New Zealand have been able to undertake a three-month placement in rural practice as part of their pre-vocational training experience since November 2010. AIM: To describe the experience of a rural general practice team providing training to a postgraduate year two medical trainee, and to describe the teaching experience and range of conditions seen by the trainee. METHODS: A pre- and post-placement interview with staff, and analysis of a logbook of cases and teaching undertaken in the practice. RESULTS: The practice team's experience of having the trainee was positive, and the trainee was exposed to a wide range of conditions over 418 clinical encounters. The trainee received 22.5 hours of formal training over the three-month placement. DISCUSSION: Rural general practice can provide a wide range of clinical experience to a postgraduate year two medical trainee. Rural practices in New Zealand should be encouraged to offer teaching placements at this training level. Exposure to rural practice at every level of training is important to encourage doctors to consider rural practice as a career.

Keywords

Author Keywords

education Graduate General Practice rural health services Medical

Index Keywords

clinical competence human medical education Humans Internship and Residency Decision making Article general practice Personnel selection Career choice medical student Students, Medical program evaluation health personnel attitude Attitude of Health Personnel organization and management methodology personnel management rural health care Rural Health Services manpower

Author Affiliations

Church Street Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, AUK, New Zealand

Church Street Surgery, Opotiki, New Zealand

Funding & Acknowledgements

No funding information

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Rural general practice training: Experience of a rural general practice team and a postgraduate year two registrar

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