Developing a conceptual understanding of rural health practice.

OBJECTIVE This study presents a set of concepts underpinning rural practice that could assist teaching health and medical students. OUTCOME Five concepts, important in distinguishing rural health practice, are presented and discussed. These are rural-urban health differentials, access, confidentiality, cultural safety and team practice. Together these concepts impact the ways in which rural health professionals provide care, due to fewer services, greater distances, smaller populations, less choice of services and smaller workforce. CONCLUSION These concepts introduce students to some of the positive and negative aspects of rural practice, as well as opportunities for rural practitioners to have a diverse practice, to become involved in all aspects of health and to initiate change. They provide an understanding of rurality from which health students can learn from their practical experiences during rural placements.