Objective: To evaluate preparedness for rural practice and to ascertain where graduates of a community-based rural training program practise.
Design: Mailed cross-sectional survey.
Setting: Rural communities in British Columbia.
Participants: Graduates of the University of British Columbia's (UBC) rural training program from 1982 to 1991 and a random sample of non-program-trained rural BC physicians.
Main outcome measures: Self-reported preparedness for rural practice in various areas of family medicine and in aspects of professional and personal life in rural settings. Locations of practice.
Results: Rural program graduates reported themselves better prepared in family medicine, community medicine, practice management, and behavioural science. Non-program-trained rural physicians thought themselves better prepared in medical subspecialties. Responses in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgical preparation showed no important differences. Rural program residents were located in rural areas (51%), regional settings (20.5%), and metropolitan areas (17.9%).
Conclusion: Graduates of the UBC rural training program consider themselves better prepared for rural family practice than non-program-trained rural physicians in several areas of family practice. Most graduates of the program were practising in rural and regional settings.