Blattner, K, Lawrence‐Lodge, R, Miller, R, Nixon, G, McHugh, P, Pirini, J. New Zealand’s Rural Hospital Medicine training program at 10 years: Locality and career choice of the first graduate cohort. Aust J Rural Health. 2020; 00: 1– 3. https://doi-org.ezproxy.otago.ac.nz/10.1111/ajr.12678
This short report describes the locality and career choice of graduates from the first 10 years of NZ’s Rural Hospital Medicine training programme.
There were 29 graduates, with 26 currently practicing. Of these 24 (92%) are practicing in a rural location, most in a rural hospital. Half were also working in an additional scope. This compares favourably with international literature.
“This study provides the first real evidence on actual postgraduate practice location, as compared to ‘intent to practice’ for rural career choice for NZ medical practitioners.”
A paper further describing this cohort, including active trainees and those that have withdrawn will be published later.