ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 333
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Evaluation of a rural medical officer scholarship program
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Miss Phillipa Kensit1,2, Lauren Madden1, Louise Geddes1, Chris Russell1, Robyn Ramsden1,3,4
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NSW Rural Doctors Network, 2The University of Notre Dame, 3Deakin University,
Charles Sturt University
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Introduction
The [scholarship program] established in 1989 is a scholarship program with a return-of-service
component administered by the [organisation name] on behalf of the [organisation name]. The program
supports medical students interested in undertaking a medical career in rural NSW. It aims to address
rural workforce shortages, thereby improving access to health services in rural areas where poorer
health outcomes result in a higher rate of injury, hospitalisation and death.
The study identified key strengths and challenges of the [scholarship program]. In particular, the focus
of this presentation will be the success of the scholarship program in increasing the number of medical
practitioners working in rural and remote communities, and the influence of the scholarship program
on geographical location for participants. It will also examine the factors that contribute to overall
sustainability of the program.
Methods
The [scholarship program] evaluation survey was first conducted in 2012 and was repeated again in
2022. The survey is a repeated retrospective cross-sectional study design. Scholarship recipients who
completed the program were eligible to undertake the survey. Using quantitative data, a comparison is
made to variables in previous surveys. Logistic regression is used for the analyses.
Conclusions
It has been demonstrated that a targeted incentive-based scholarship schemes with a returnof-service component can be beneficial, particularly where they include ongoing support and
reinforcement throughout the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate training.
The research findings presented will inform future policy, practice and rural incentivisation.
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