Attractions and barriers to rural practice: impact of an interprofessional rural immersion experience, in British Columbia, Canada

Healthcare provider shortage is a widely recognized contributor to rural–urban population health disparities and inequities. Various strategies have been employed to increase healthcare provider recruitment and retention in rural areas, yet a maldistribution persists, with far fewer choosing to practice rurally. Providing opportunities for healthcare students to experience rural communities is important for building the rural health workforce. In this study, interprofessional healthcare students who participated in a week-long rural immersion experience were surveyed regarding attractions and barriers to rural practice. Thirty students participated in a week-long rural immersion experience, and of those, eleven elected to complete the survey. Students’ responses regarding their interests in and perceived barriers of living and working in rural communities were categorized into two main themes: lifestyle factors and career factors. Lifestyle factors were reported more frequently than career factors regarding attraction to rural practice, but they were reported with similar frequency regarding barriers. Participants reported that the immersion experience increased comfort with the idea of rural practice. Providing exposure to rural communities, and community engagement beyond clinical involvement, should both be considered when developing future rural health workforce recruitment focused initiatives.