McAuliffe Tomomi, Barnett Fiona
Occupational Therapy Discipline James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
Aust Occup Ther J. 2010 Oct;57(5):293-300. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1630.2009.00838.x.
BACKGROUND/AIM: Rural and remote health education during undergraduate training is a strategy to alleviate the shortage of rural health professionals. Undergraduate rural exposure can be beneficial in improving students' perceptions towards rural and remote practice as well as their decision to work rurally. This study examined James Cook University (JCU) final year occupational therapy students' perceptions towards rural and remote practice and if their perceptions had changed over the course of their study.
Questionnaires were administered to 58 final year occupational therapy students at JCU during a block class. Quantitative data analysis was performed on responses.
The change in the students' career intentions from not considering to considering rural and remote practice over the duration of their study was found to be significant (exact P = 0.003). The influential factors identified in students considering rural employment included the rural location of their close family and friends (exact P = 0.006), the overall occupational therapy programme (U = 171.5, P = 0.045), good fieldwork experience (U = 144, P = 0.039) and inspiring fieldwork supervisors (U = 135.5, P = 0.01). The course curriculum was not found to influence the students' perceptual change.
This study has found that students' perceptions towards rural and remote practice changed over the course of their university programme. A greater focus on the academic staff and fieldwork supervisors' perceptions towards rural and remote practice may be required in the development of rural undergraduate programmes. Identification of students who have family/close friends living in rural and remote areas may encourage occupational therapists to work in rural areas.
背景/目的：本科培训期间的农村和偏远地区健康教育是缓解农村卫生专业人员短缺的一项策略。本科阶段接触农村地区有助于改善学生对农村和偏远地区执业的看法以及他们在农村工作的意愿。本研究调查了詹姆斯·库克大学（JCU）职业治疗专业最后一年学生对农村和偏远地区执业的看法，以及他们的看法在学习过程中是否发生了变化。
在一次集中授课期间，对JCU的58名职业治疗专业最后一年学生进行了问卷调查。对问卷回复进行了定量数据分析。
发现在学习期间，学生的职业意向从最初不考虑到后来考虑在农村和偏远地区执业，这一变化具有统计学意义（确切P = 0.003）。在考虑到农村就业的学生中，确定的影响因素包括其亲密家人和朋友所在的农村地区（确切P = 0.006）、整体职业治疗课程（U = 171.5，P = 0.045）、良好的实习经验（U = 144，P = 0.039）以及鼓舞人心的实习督导（U = 135.5，P = 0.01）。未发现课程设置对学生的观念变化有影响。
本研究发现，学生对农村和偏远地区执业的看法在大学课程学习过程中发生了变化。在农村本科课程的开发中，可能需要更多地关注学术人员和实习督导对农村和偏远地区执业的看法。识别那些有家人/亲密朋友生活在农村和偏远地区的学生，可能会鼓励职业治疗师到农村地区工作。
