Education Sciences (Dec 2022)

Immersive Place-Based Attachments in Rural Australia: An Overview of an Allied Health Program and Its Outcomes

  • Leanne J. Brown,
  • Luke Wakely,
  • Alexandra Little,
  • Susan Heaney,
  • Emma Cooper,
  • Katrina Wakely,
  • Jennifer May,
  • Julie M. Burrows

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13010002
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
p. 2

Abstract

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This paper describes a rural immersive attachment program for allied health students at an Australian University Department of Rural Health and its workforce outcomes. A mixed methods longitudinal cohort study, with data collected via end-of-placement and post-graduation surveys. Over 13 years, 311 allied health ‘year-long’ immersive rural attachments, as well as short-term placements, were supported. Pre- and post-placement rural practice intention ratings were paired (from 572 end of placement surveys) for 553 (96.7%) students. Students from metropolitan (49.4%, n = 273, p n = 280, p n = 145) of graduates had worked in a rural or remote location in Australia, 39.9% at 3 years (n = 87) and 36.5% (n = 42) at 5 years. Longer-term rural attachments were found to be associated with rural practice location, independent of rural background. Those who had undertaken a longer rural attachment (≥18-weeks) were twice as likely to be working in a rural or remote area than those <18 weeks at 1 year (OR 2.018 95% CI 1.204–3.382) and 2.7 times as likely at 3 years (OR 2.727, 95% CI (1.325–5.614). Supporting students to undertake rural immersive attachments appears to be associated with greater rural practice intention and later rural practice.

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