1. Why are some GP practices more
successful than others at engaging
students to be future employees?
L. Walker, L. Walters
Flinders University Rural Clinical School

2. Faculty/Presenter Disclosure
Dr Leesa Walker
There are no relationships with
commercial interests

3. Rural Clinical Schools
• Shortage of doctors
in rural areas is an
ongoing problem (Aust
Government Dept of Health 2008)
• Established as a
workforce initiative
to recruit students to
work in rural areas
(Aust Government Dept of Health)

4. Flinders University Rural Clinical
School

5. The PRCC
• LIC based in rural
General Practice
(Worley et al, 2000)
• Some GP practices
participate in hope
students will return
and work

6. Some practices have been
successful!
• Millicent Medical
Clinic
– PRCC practice since
2002
– 2 students returned
and continue to work
– Another student with
plans to return
– Why?

7. What do we know about rural
recruitment and retention?
• Strongest evidence for
recruitment is selecting
students from rural
origin and generalist
career path (Wilson et al,
2009)
• Retention of GP’s in
Australia most strongly
associated with Practice
ownership and hospital
work (Buyxx, Wakerman,
Pashen, 2010)

8. Why is it important to look
at success stories?
• Research lacking
why particular
locations chosen
beyond rurality
• If we know this
General Practices
could tailor
recruitment
strategies to secure
a future workforce

9. Questions
1. Do other programs have examples of
such success?
2. What are the attributes of these
practices that contribute to success?
3. Are these transferable to other
practices or settings?

10. References
• Australian Government Department of Health
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/work-res-ruraud-toc
(accessed 12/10/114)
• Australian Government Department of Health http://www.health.gov.au/clinicalschools
[accessed 6/5/14].
• Worley P, Silagy C, Prideaux D, Newble D, Jones A. The parallel rural community
curriculum: an integrated clinical curriculum based in rural general practice. Medical
education. 2000 Jul;34(7):558-65
• Wilson NW, Couper ID, De Vries E, Reid S, Fish T, Marais BJ. A critical review of
interventions to redress the inequitable distribution of healthcare professionals to rural and
remote areas. Rural and remote health. 2009 Apr-Jun;9(2):1060.
• Buykx P, John H, Wakerman J, Pashen D. Systematic review of effective retention
incentives for health workers in rural and remote areas: Towards evidence-based policy.
The Australian Journal of Rural Health. 2010;18:102-9.