Rural health professional programmes are successfully getting more doctors into rural medical practices, but research has found the programmes need to be expanded if New Zealand’s rural doctor shortage is to be addressed. In a world-first study, University of Otago researchers have analysed what factors increase the likelihood of medical graduates choosing careers in rural medicine. They found being of rural origin, being older than 25 when entering medical school, and participating in an extended rural medical school placement, such as Otago’s Rural Medical Immersion Programme (RMIP), were independent predictors of entering rural practice. "More medical students need opportunities to be exposed to rural medicine, as we’ve found those working in rural practice come from all walks of life." She said the study also found students of urban origin, and those with no rural career intentions at the start of medical school, still made up more than half of the early career rural medical workforce.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 24, 2026 15:54 UTC