Pharmacy students' intention to practise in a rural setting: measuring the impact of a rural curriculum, rural campus and rural placement on a predominantly metropolitan student cohort.

OBJECTIVE

To compare pharmacy students' intention to practise in a rural setting expressed in their first year of university with that expressed during their final year.

DESIGN

Longitudinal survey of students in their first and final years.

SETTING

Tertiary educational institution.

PARTICIPANTS

Predominantly metropolitan pharmacy students.

INTERVENTIONS

Students were exposed to a rural curriculum, rural campus and rural placement or rural placement alone during their degree.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Change in proportion of students expressing an intention to practise in a rural setting following registration.

RESULTS

The proportion of respondents who indicated an intention to practise in a rural setting was 21.6% (27/125) in 2006 compared with 11.2% (14/125) in 2003. This was a statistically significant increase of 10.4% (P = 0.001) over the four years. Positive influences on students' intention to practise in a rural setting were: rural background (P = 0.012); rural placement (either two weeks or 12 weeks) (P = 0.002); having been enrolled in the BPharm (Rural) (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed the work of others in that the students most likely to express an intention to practise in a rural setting were those from a rural background who elected to undertake and complete a rural degree involving a rural placement. A follow-up survey will be conducted to establish whether their stated intention as students has translated to rural practice in reality.