Flinders University rural medical school student program outcomes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The impact of Australian Government Rural Clinical School (RCS) programs on the geographical maldistribution of the medical workforce is important to report. METHOD This data linkage study compared graduates the Flinders University program who have undergone training in a metropolitan tertiary hospital (Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide) with those participated Parallel Community Curriculum (PRCC) RCS Program based rural towns South Australia between 1999 and 2012. Health Practitioners Authority were used determine their location practice 2017. RESULTS In 2017, more than one-third (36.8%) of PRCC working non-metropolitan Modified Monash (MM) 2-7, 20.7% city campus (odds ratio 2.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.6, 3.0; P <0.001). difference was even evident when comparing smaller centres in MM 3-7 MM 5-7. DISCUSSION demonstrates strong correlation long-term outcomes.