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Table 2 The methodological characteristics of the medical education articles

From: The impact of rural outreach programs on medical students’ future rural intentions and working locations: a systematic review

Characteristic

Ref Number

Frequency of Papers (Total papers = 62)

Location

 United States

[50,51,52,53,54,55, 60,61,62, 64, 65, 72, 75,76,77, 93,94,95]

18

 Australia

[12, 35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49, 63, 67,68,69,70,71, 73, 78,79,80,81, 84,85,86,87,88,89,90, 92]

35

 New Zealand

[82, 91]

2

 Thailand

[74]

1

 Canada

[56, 58, 59, 66, 83]

5

 Africa

[57]

1

Program Classification Type (note programs can be in multi-classifications if they are comparison programs

 Rural Clinical Placement Programs (RCP)

[35,36,37,38, 44, 46, 56, 58, 59, 64,65,66, 68, 71, 73,74,75, 81,82,83,84, 86, 89,90,91, 93, 95]

27

 Rural Clinical Placement Programs with specific rural, academic teaching emphasis (RCP + Edu)

[12, 50,51,52,53,54,55, 61, 62, 76, 80, 94]

12

 Rural Clinical Schools Program (RCSP)

[39,40,41,42,43,44,45, 47,48,49, 57, 58, 60, 63, 64, 67, 69, 70, 72, 77,78,79, 85, 87, 88, 92]

26

Single/multi-institution

 Single medical school

[12, 36, 39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47, 49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56, 60,61,62,63, 68, 69, 72, 73, 76, 78, 80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89, 93,94,95]

42

 More than one medical School

[35, 37, 38, 48, 57,58,59, 64,65,66,67, 70, 71, 74, 75, 77, 79, 90,91,92]

20

Length of Rural Clinical Placement (RCP)(note a program may have multiple durations)

 Less than 4 weeks

[35, 38, 46, 76, 80, 95]

6

 4 weeks and up to 12 weeks

[12, 38, 44, 46, 50,51,52, 54, 58, 66, 91]

11

 More than 12 weeks but less than 24

[38, 46, 52, 53, 58, 62, 94]

7

 6 to 12 months

[36,37,38, 46, 55, 58, 61, 68, 73, 75, 82, 84, 86, 89, 93, 94]

16

 2 years plus

[46, 56, 74, 75, 81, 83]

6

 Unclassifiable/no set Placement length

[38, 64, 65, 90, 71]

5

Length of time in an RCSP evaluated program (note a program may be looking at multiple durations)

 Less than 4 weeks

[45, 92]

2

 4 weeks and up to one 12 weeks

[70, 88, 92]

3

 More than 1 term (12 weeks) and up to 1 year

[40,41,42, 44, 48, 49, 58, 63, 67, 69, 78, 79, 88, 92]

14

 More than a year in a RCS

[40, 42, 43, 49, 57, 60, 69, 72, 77, 79, 85, 87]

12

 Specific placement length not reported

[47, 64]

2

Objective of Intervention (simplified to rural intention or long-term follow-up for each study)

  Increase intention to practice rurally

[12, 35, 37, 38, 42, 45, 70, 80, 81, 85, 88,89,90,91,92]

15

 Follow up to identify if a rural clinical intervention impacted on rural workforce participation

[36, 39, 41, 43, 44, 46, 49, 51, 53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67, 69, 71,72,73,74,75, 77,78,79, 83, 84, 86, 87, 94, 95]

38

 Intention and follow up for actual rural location

[40, 47, 48, 50, 52, 68, 76, 82, 93]

9

Timing of the Evaluation

 Pre-and post-intervention Survey

[12, 37, 38, 42, 45, 73, 80, 81, 85, 90]

10

 Post intervention survey Only (no follow up tracking)

[70, 88, 89, 91, 92]

5

 Pre, post and follow-up post-graduation tracking

[40, 47, 50, 52, 68, 71, 74, 76, 93]

9

 Post survey and post follow up tracking

[35, 36, 39, 44, 48, 56, 73, 82, 86]

9

 Graduate Follow up Tracking only

[41, 43, 46, 49, 51, 53,54,55, 57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67, 69, 72, 75, 77,78,79, 83, 84, 87, 94, 95]

30

Comparison/Control Groups

 Studies using a control

[36, 50, 52,53,54,55, 57,58,59,60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 69, 72, 74, 77,78,79, 81, 83, 93, 95]

24

 No control/comparison group

[12, 35, 37, 40, 42, 45, 48, 67, 70, 80, 84,85,86, 88, 89, 94]

16

 Comparison groups but no non-intervention control group

[38, 39, 43, 44, 46, 56, 64, 68, 71, 73, 75, 82, 87, 90,91,92]

16

 Comparison groups which include a control group

[41, 47, 49, 51, 61, 76]

6

  Random allocation of students to intervention

0

Volunteer Status for participation in the Rural Program/School/Immersion

 Volunteer Program

[35,36,37, 39,40,41,42,43, 46,47,48,49,50,51,52, 54,55,56, 58,59,60,61,62,63,64, 66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73, 76,77,78,79, 81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95]

52

 Non-Volunteer

[12, 45, 53, 57, 74, 80]

6

 N/A/multiple programs/unknown

[38, 44, 65, 75]

4

Data Collection Method (studies may use more than one method)

Questionnaire/Survey

[12, 35, 38,39,40, 42,43,44,45, 47,48,49,50, 52, 56, 58, 59, 61, 64, 67,68,69,70,71, 73, 76, 79,80,81,82, 84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92, 95]

40

 Interviews

[37, 40, 61, 62, 82, 84, 92, 95]

8

 Medical Schools Outcomes Database (MSOD) (National)

[38, 43, 48, 68, 70, 71, 90]

7

 MUSOM Alumni Association database, Residency, Match Program, The American Board of Medical Specialties

[51, 52, 55]

3

 Alumni Records (Local)

[35, 40, 44, 46, 49, 50, 52, 53, 55, 57, 60, 62, 63, 66, 69, 72, 74, 76, 78, 79, 83, 86, 93,94,95]

25

 Other databases (Local)

[40, 46, 51, 53, 55, 59, 60, 62, 65, 74, 76, 82,83,84, 93, 94]

16

 AHPRA (National)

[41, 43, 63, 69, 78, 79]

6

 Internet/email/Phone

[35, 39, 40, 43, 51, 52, 64, 69, 74, 76, 82, 84, 86, 88, 94, 95]

16

 American association Masterfile (AMA) (National)

[50, 54, 55, 60, 61, 65, 72, 75,76,77]

10

 Focus Groups

[37, 80, 89]

3

Methods of Quantitative Analysis

 Accounted for rural confounders/impacting factors through statistical analysis

[12, 36, 38,39,40,41,42, 44, 45, 47,48,49, 51,52,53, 55, 56, 58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66, 68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79, 81,82,83,84,85, 87,88,89,90,91, 93, 95]

50

 Did not include rural confounders/impacting factors in statistical calculations (i.e. did not adjust) Inferential statistics, unadjusted)

[35, 37, 43, 46, 50, 54, 57, 67, 80, 86, 92, 94]

12

Sample Size (Includes both intervention/control/comparison group if applicable)

 Less than 100

[37, 50, 73, 80,81,82, 84,85,86,87,88,89, 92, 93]

14

 100–500

[12, 35, 39, 40, 42, 44, 45, 47,48,49, 54, 56,57,58,59, 62, 67, 68, 70, 83, 90, 91, 94, 95]

24

 500+

[36, 38, 41, 43, 46, 51,52,53, 55, 60, 61, 63,64,65,66, 69, 71, 72, 74,75,76,77,78,79]

24

Consent or Participant Rate (Depending on the study/type of study and reporting)

 Below 50%

[35, 47, 58, 59, 69, 71, 73, 79, 81, 88, 91]

11

 50–80%

[39, 40, 44, 45, 48, 49, 51, 56, 64, 67, 68, 70, 80, 82, 84,85,86]

17

 81–100%

[12, 36, 38, 41,42,43, 46, 50, 52,53,54,55, 57, 60,61,62,63, 65, 66, 72, 74,75,76,77,78, 83, 87, 89, 92,93,94,95]

32

 Not reported

[37, 90]

2