[Inventory of the main factors determining the attraction, installation and retention of physicians in remote areas].

A literature search (restricted to Australia, Canada and the USA) finds out 37 papers dealing with the topic. The factors are grouped into 3 areas: personal, occupational and environmental. In each area, the search tries to identify the determinants of attraction, of installation and of retention. However, more works are needed to better understand how these factors interact at the various stages (attraction, installation, retention) of the decision-making process of a medical doctor. Undoubtedly, the weight of each factor varies when the health system undergoes profound changes (e.g. drastic increase of the female doctors within the profession) or when the society itself changes its values regarding work, family, leisure....