Whole of Community Facilitators: An Exemplar for Supporting Rural Health Workforce Recruitment through Students’ Professional Experience Placements

The Whole of Community Facilitator model provides support for healthcare students’ professional experience placements (PEP) in rural regions Tasmania. In Tasmania, PEP is challenged as facilities are often small and have limited capacity staff to devote considerable time supervising students during PEP. Recruitment retention the health workforce Tasmania sometimes difficult because island State geographically distant from mainland Australia, predominantly classified a regional, rural, or remote area. University College Health Medicine (the College) explored various initiatives sustainability, project discussed addresses this issue by promoting potential employment destinations upon completion their course. supports delivery high-quality supervision whilst undertaking PEP, foster positive experiences potentially influence future career choices. A successful exemplar was trialled 2012 implemented statewide 2017 using Facilitation (WOCF) model. initiative host facilities, supervisors, staff, promotes placement experiences. designed consideration Tasmania’s rurality, uses flexible responsive framework.