First ever rural medical immersion programme

30 March 2007

First ever rural medical immersion programme for New Zealand med students

The first ever rural medical immersion programme for New Zealand medical students kicks off next month at Otago University.

Six Otago University students will spend their entire fifth year of study working in rural communities in Queenstown, the Westcoast and Southland.

Currently students from around the country spend only two to six weeks working in rural practices.

“Rural health is the best form of generalist medicine you can find,” said Dr Pat Farry, who is responsible for the first, one year long, pilot immersion programme.

Dr Farry, who is speaking at the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network (NZRGPN) Conference tomorrow, said students working in rural health get to see the whole spectrum of patient problems.

“Rural health is where everything, including emergencies, happens.”

The students study the same curriculum as their city counterparts and the programme will be fully evaluated at the end of its pilot year.

Studies done on a similar programme in Australia show those students immersed in a rural health programme consistently score better in exams than their city equivalents.

The studies have also shown students who complete a rural medical immersion programme are more likely to choose rural practice as a career pathway.

Dr Tim Malloy, chair of the NZRGPN, says the rural medical immersion programme is a commendable step towards solving the ongoing issue of rural general practice recruitment and retention.

“It encourages students to consider a career in rural health and it also strengthens rural practice by having rural faculty teaching in the communities,” said Dr Malloy.

If the programme is successful those involved hope to implement it throughout the country in the future.

ENDS.

© Scoop Media