A longitudinal integrated placement and medical students’ intentions to practise rurally

摘要: Medical Education 2012:46: 179–191 Context  Integrated longitudinal rural placements are designed to promote favourable student attitudes towards and facilitate return practice upon graduation. We explored the impact of an integrated placement on medical students’ practice. Methods  Data were available from interviews with 10 students, 15 clinical supervisors teachers, three community health staff, focus groups made up students. Socio-cognitive career theory gave insight into personal, contextual experiential factors, as well barriers, that influence intentions. Framework analysis was used develop a thematic framework illustrating key findings. Results  The enabled students achieve personal goals, enhanced self-efficacy beliefs orientation complex professional demands practice. informal curriculum, including multifaceted interactions patients their families, teachers other care vital component. Students assimilated these rich experiences evolving notions identity practitioners. Some had little intention practising rurally, partly result barriers such geographic isolation, family relationship needs, restricted postgraduate training opportunities limited for specialist practice. Conclusions  richness curriculum in powerfully influenced intentions practise rurally. It provided important context learning professionalism identity. This could be reinforced by developing formal curricula using educational activities based around service-led interprofessional learning. To overcome workforce development model needs socialising remote medicine. More generic issues include selection, further expansion structured vocational pathways vertically integrate maintenance rurally focused support throughout training.