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Selection of medical students and the maldistribution of the medical workforce in Queensland, Australia
Author(s) -
CRAIG MARK L.,
JACKEL CHERYL A.,
GERRITS PETRA B.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1584.1993.tb00075.x
Subject(s) - workforce , redress , economic shortage , medical education , rural area , vocational education , personnel selection , medicine , medical school , selection (genetic algorithm) , rural health , continuing medical education , nursing , continuing education , psychology , government (linguistics) , economic growth , political science , pedagogy , management , linguistics , philosophy , pathology , artificial intelligence , computer science , law , economics
The relative shortage of both general practitioners and specialists providing medical services to rural areas disadvantages people living in the country. This maldistribution of the medical workforce is due in part to the medical education system. The selection and socialisation of medical students, the adequacy of training for rural practice and the continuing support of rural doctors must all be addressed. While progress is being made in vocational training and continuing support of rural practice, aspects of undergraduate education continue to contribute to the shortage of rural practitioners. The school and home addresses of 1991 school leavers in the 1992 intake into first year medicine at the University of Queensland were analysed and compared with those previously reported. Results indicated that students from rural backgrounds remain underrepresented despite previous recommendations to redress the disproportionately low number of rural students entering medical school. Changes to the selection of medical students aimed at increasing the number of rural students entering the course are discussed. This issue needs to be addressed in conjunction with many other factors contributing to the maldistribution of general practitioners if the shortage of rural medical practitioners is to be ultimately corrected.