GNOSIS program pays off.

The Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) has trained 1063 medical students in rural communities for the past 34 years and produced 658 primary care physicians and 521 physicians who currently practice in rural communities. While the students' experience in this nine-month clerkship is primarily clinic-based, they see patients in the emergency room, assist in surgery, deliver babies, attend physician meetings and participate in community health education. They experience real continuity of care by following a patient from the clinic or emergency room to the operating room and throughout their recovery. They diagnose a pregnancy, deliver the baby and then do the well-child examination in the clinic. The students recognize the value of this experience, as expressed in their final essays. They value the mentoring of the physicians, the relationship with the patients and the experiences in health care in which they play integral part. While the trend toward primary care in medical education is decreasing, the outcome of the RPAP program is holding steady at approximately 80%. Selection is certainly a factor, because many of the students who apply for RPAP have already expressed an interest in primary care. Additionally, the mentoring relationship with their preceptor, professionally and personally, and the ability to observe the lives of other practising physicians provides a reality check that may guide decisions. The enthusiasm for teaching, and the significant engagement with and impact on the community of the physicians may be another factor in deciding on primary care. Practising alongside physicians who find intellectual challenge and rewarding relationships in primary care is essential in continuing to produce primary care physicians of future.

Career Choice↗

PubMed2005

A survey of dental school applicants' career intentions and the balance with family life.

PURPOSE: To investigate the career plans of prospective dental students and how they foresee their work life balance. METHOD: Applicants to Dundee and Manchester dental schools completed anonymous questionnaires when they attended for interview. RESULTS: The useable response rate was 94% (n=436). The majority of the respondents (91.3%) intended working full time when they enter the workforce, with no significant variation detected between males and females. The cohort anticipated their mean salary to be just over 28,000 UK pounds, five years into their career, although the males felt they would be earning 5,000 UK pounds more than the females. Individuals of Pakistani and Indian origin thought they would earn most, and Asians least. Sixty-five per cent would enter general dental practice and, of these, only 2.8% expected to work exclusively within the NHS. Fifteen per cent intended to go into the hospital dental service, with orthodontics the most popular choice of subspecialty (43.7%), followed by oral surgery (31.1%). Significant variation was seen between ethnic groups, with the hospital and community dental services being more popular with those who identified themselves as of non-white ethnic origin, although the majority would still plan on entering general dental practice. Almost half (44.5%) would take time out of their career to concentrate on childcare when children were of pre-school age, with a further 11% taking longer. Ninety per cent of females and 70% of males anticipated taking time out, of a varying duration. Half of the respondents indicated that they felt a child would affect their career to a moderate extent. CONCLUSIONS: The dental profession will be severely affected if both males and females take time out of their careers in the future. As well as a work force shortage, the problems of accessibility to NHS dental services will be exacerbated if fewer dentists choose to provide NHS care.

Career Choice↗