Abstract
Background: Medical workforce scarcity in rural and remote communities is a global problem, severely challenging healthcare delivery and health equity. Both developed and developing countries report geographically uneven distributions of the medical workforce. This scoping review synthesizes evidence from peer-reviewed and grey literature concerning approaches implemented to improve the recruitment, development, and retention of the rural medical workforce in both developed and developing countries. Methods: We will utilize the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) framework as the basis for this scoping review. The databases to be searched include Medline, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL Plus, and PubMed for articles from the last decade (2010-2019). Searches for unpublished studies and grey literature will be undertaken using the Google Scholar - Advanced Search tool. Quantitative and qualitative study designs will be included. Two authors will independently screen and extract relevant articles and information, with disagreements resolved by a third. Quantitative and qualitative analyses (thematic) will be conducted to evaluate and categorize the study findings. Discussion: The scoping review will aid in mapping the available evidence for approaches implemented to advance the process of recruitment, development, and retention of the medical workforce in the rural and remote areas in developed and developing nations.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO)[1] declared providing “health for all” to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals as their health priority
Studies have shown that the problems of recruitment and retention of the medical workforce in rural and remote areas occur in most countries, whether developed or developing.[2,3,4,5]
Identifying the Research Questions The research question was developed as a broad framing of the population, the concept and the context to be explored and mapped to the objectives of the review
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO)[1] declared providing “health for all” to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals as their health priority. Medical workforce shortages and maldistribution of the workforce remain critical issues for many in rural and remote communities. Studies have shown that the problems of recruitment and retention of the medical workforce in rural and remote areas occur in most countries, whether developed or developing.[2,3,4,5] Even the United States, Canada, and Australia with their advanced technologies in health and medicine such as telehealth have ongoing rural medical workforce shortages.[2,3,4,5]
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