Abstract
BACKGROUND: Australian Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetships are awarded to medical students interested in a rural medical career. The Rural Residential Medical Officer Cadetship Program (Cadetship Program) is administered by the Rural Doctors Network on behalf of the NSW Ministry of Health. This study aimed to assess the overall experience of medical students and key factors that contributed to their satisfaction with the Cadetship Program. METHODS: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 107 former cadets who had completed the Cadetship Program. Data on medical students' experience with the Cadetship Program (outcome variable) and potential explanatory variables were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Explanatory variables included gender, geographical location, rural health club membership, rural clinical school attendance, financial support, mentorship benefits, networking opportunities, influence on career decisions, opportunity for preferential placements, and relocation. Both bivariate (Pearson's chi-squared test) and multiple logistic regression analysis were employed to identify the factors associated with medical students' overall experience with the Cadetship Program. The non-linear analysis was weighted to represent the rural/remote health workforce, in Stata/SE 14.1. RESULTS: Our results indicate that 91% of medical students were satisfied with the Cadetship Program. The logistic regression model identified two significant predictors of a positive experience with the Cadetship Program. Medical students who perceived financial support as beneficial were significantly more likely to report a satisfactory program experience (aOR = 6.22, 95% CI: 1.36-28.44, p = 0.019) than those who perceived financial support as not beneficial. Similarly, those who valued networking opportunities were more likely to have a positive view of their cadetship experience (aOR = 10.06, 95% CI: 1.11-91.06, p = 0.040) than their counterparts. CONCLUSION: Our study found that students who valued financial support and networking opportunities had the most positive views of the Cadetship Program. These findings demonstrate that the Cadetship Program may be most helpful for those who need financial support and for students who seek networking opportunities. These findings increase our knowledge about the characteristics of medical students who have the most positive experiences with the Cadetship Program. They help us to understand the mechanisms of influence of such programs on individuals' decisions to be part of the future rural health workforce.