Does engagement with rural workforce agencies influence interest in rural practice: A Study Protocol

Natalie K. Vear¹, Alexa N. Seal¹, Zelda Doyle²
1.  School of Medicine Sydney, Rural Clinical School, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
2.  School of Medicine Sydney, Rural Clinical School, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Lithgow, NSW, Australia

Introduction:

Rural Workforce Agencies (RWA) were developed to address doctor shortages in regional, rural, and remote Australia. Whether medical student engagement with RWAs before and/or during extended (>1 year) medical school rural placements influences their desire to practice rurally is yet to be evaluated.

Aim:

To determine the level of engagement of final-year Australian medical students, who have completed at least one year of their medical studies in a rural location, with RWAs and the effect this has on their interest in rural practice following graduation.

Methods:

The Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators (FRAME) Survey Study provides longitudinal tracking of medical students in Rural Clinical Schools (RCS) and Regional Medical Schools (RMS) to assess their career paths. This cross-sectional survey study will use the FRAME Survey Study to assess the effects of RWA engagement during medical training in final-year medical students, who have completed at least one year of their medical studies in a rural location. Three new questions related to this research project regarding RWA engagement and opportunities undertaken were added to the existing survey for the 2024 and 2025 student cohorts. Comparisons of categorical variables between groups will be completed using Pearson’s chi-square test.

Progress to Date:

Data from the 2024 student cohort was collected from May 2024 to January 2025, with 448 responses recorded prior to data cleaning. Analysis of this 2024 data is currently ongoing. The 2025 FRAME Survey will be released to final year medical students from May 2025.