Learning trajectories in longitudinal rural medical school placements

Abstract

Rural longitudinal placements are now a key part of clinical medical education, and are part of workforce strategies to enhance the rural medical workforce. Learning trajectories (a map to guide student learning) have been recommended as a means of maximising student learning on placements, and have the potential to assist long-term rural students and supervisors in adapting to a longitudinal clerkship. This study focuses on year-3 medical students in rural longitudinal clinical placements at an Australian graduate-entry medical school. This article reports the outcomes of working with current rural supervisors and students to develop a learning trajectory across the rural stream year, for implementation in future years. Students and supervisors identified incremental learning goals in keeping with Dreyfus's model of progressive skill development. Students offered tips to future students to adjust to variations in learning experiences across rural sites. Some supervisors were reluctant to have a learning trajectory, fearing it would be seen as proscriptive and reduce student ambition for varied rich experiences. Future research will focus on the impact of the rural learning trajectory.