Factors influencing choice of site for rural clinical placements by final year medical students in a South African university
| Autor: | Ian Couper, Motlatso G. Mlambo, Nontsikelelo O. Mapukata, Rainy Dube |
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| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male medicine.medical_specialty Students Medical 020205 medical informatics Universities Service-learning academic learning lcsh:Medicine Qualitative property medical students 02 engineering and technology 03 medical and health sciences rural clinical placements South Africa Young Adult 0302 clinical medicine Nursing Surveys and Questionnaires Health care 0202 electrical engineering electronic engineering information engineering Medicine Humans 030212 general & internal medicine Human resources Moral support Qualitative Research Original Research Career Choice business.industry Public health lcsh:Public aspects of medicine lcsh:R Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health lcsh:RA1-1270 General Medicine Work (electrical) Female Rural Health Services Thematic analysis Family Practice business |
| Zdroj: | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp e1-e6 (2017) African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, Volume: 9, Issue: 1, Pages: 1-6, Published: 2017 |
| ISSN: | 2071-2936 |
| Popis: | Background: Most of South Africa’s citizens who live in rural or underserved communities rely on the public health care sector to access quality health care. The value of rural exposure through clinical placements is well documented. Medical schools in South Africa have a responsibility to provide solutions that address the prevailing human resources challenges. Despite this commitment, medical students do not necessarily appreciate their role in resolving South Africa’s human resources challenges. This study aimed to assess the factors that influenced the choice of clinical learning sites in a self-selection process undertaken by Wits final year medical students for the compulsory 6-week integrated primary care block rotation.Methods: Qualitative data related to reasons for choice of service learning site were gathered from 524 pre-placement questionnaires completed by final year medical students entering the rotation over a 3-year period (2012–2014). Thematic analysis was performed using the MAXQDA software.Results: Eight themes emerged from the study indicating that the majority of participants were in favour of local urban underserved placement. Contextual factors, such as work commitments or family responsibilities, being compromised socially and losing academic standing were the main reasons for seeking urban placement. Good supervision, opportunistic learning, skills development and moral support were reasons for seeking rural placements. Previous voluntary exposure to rural practice or being of rural origin was a strong indicator for uptake of rural placement.Conclusion: This study has demonstrated the challenges faced by coordinators in balancing personal and institutional needs with country needs and the contextual factors that must be considered when implementing medical education programmes that respond to social challenges. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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