Table 1 Comparison of ARCS alumni demographics, mentor experiences, and career preferences after completion of their fifth-year rural placement. FRAME survey data, 2013–2018
| Â | TOTALÂ n (%) | 2013% | 2014% | 2015% | 2016% | 2017% | 2018% | P value* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N (FRAME response rate %) | 241 (93.8) | 35 (97.2) | 42 (100.0) | 42 (93.3) | 37 (80.4) | 43 (97.7) | 42 (95.5) | Â | |
Gender (n = 238) | Female | 143 (60.1) | 48.5 | 71.4 | 76.2 | 37.8 | 55.8 | 65.9 | 0.004 |
Age during rural placement in years (n = 239) | Median [IQR] | 23 [1] | 23 [1] | 23 [1] | 23 [2] | 23 [1] | 23 [1] | 23 [2] | 0.19** |
Has a rural background (n = 236) | Yes | 74 (31.4) | 22.9 | 27.5 | 31.0 | 40.5 | 32.6 | 33.3 | 0.70 |
Location lived the longest (n = 237) | Regional/ rural/remote | 63 (26.6) | 20.6 | 12.2 | 27.5 | 35.1 | 27.9 | 35.7 | 0.15 |
Had a rural-based mentor (n = 240) | Agreea | 183 (76.3) | 62.9 | 73.8 | 80.5 | 78.4 | 76.7 | 83.3 | 0.38 |
RCS increased interest in regional/rural medical career (n = 239) | Agreea | 216 (90.4) | 82.4 | 88.1 | 92.7 | 94.6 | 90.7 | 92.9 | 0.59†|
RCS increased interest in remote medical career (n = 239) | Agreea | 115 (48.1) | 47.1 | 33.3 | 53.7 | 46.0 | 65.1 | 42.9 | 0.08 |
Preferred location of practice after graduation (n = 236) | Regional/ rural/remote | 103 (43.6) | 44.1 | 23.8 | 52.5 | 44.4 | 58.1 | 39.0 | 0.03 |