An article published in the latest edition of Australian Journal of Rural Health lends further support to richness and variety of clinical experiences available in rural and remotely based training.
The research paper, ‘General practice training in regional and rural Australia: A cross-sectional analysis of the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training study' reviewed AGPT registrars based in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria from 2010-2015.
The paper’s findings included, that the registrars based in rural and regional areas relative to those based in urban areas:
- engaged in more procedural care - with rural registrars more likely to perform procedures than regionally-based registrars
- experienced more continuity of patient care
- saw more older patients, which is likely to involve more complex care, and
- provided more care of patients who were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
These findings are broadly consistent with our Colleges own membership records and member surveys, the National AGPT registrar surveys, and the research papers drawing on the MABEL dataset.
ACRRM members can read the article via their Australian Journal of Rural Health subscription via the website.