Responsive policies needed to secure rural supply from increasing female doctors: A perspective

Abstract

Around the world, the supply of rural health services to address population health needs continues to be a wicked problem. Adding to this, an increasing proportion of female doctors is graduating from medical courses but gender is not accounted for within rural workforce policy and planning. This threatens the future capacity of rural medical services. This perspective draws together the latest evidence, to make the case for industry and government action on responsive policy and planning to attract females to rural medicine.We find that the factors that attract female doctors to rural practice are not the same as males. We identify female-tailored policies require a re-visioning of rural recruitment, use of employment arrangements that attract females and re-thinking issues of rural training and specialty choice. We conceptualise a roadmap that includes co-designing rural jobs within supportive teams, allowing for capped hours which align with childcare along with boosting of female peer support and mentorship. There is also a need to enhance flexible rural postgraduate training options in a range of specialties (at a time when many women are establishing families) and to consider viable partner employment (including for female doctors with university trained partners) and advertising specific rural attractors to women, including the chance to connect with communities and make a difference.

Suicidal behaviors and associated factors among medical students in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…This finding has been consistent with other cohorts and populations. However, it is of special concern in the medical field since the number of female physicians, and female medical students are increasing (O'Sullivan et al, 2022), and if the rates of suicide continue to increase, health services will suffer. Therefore, preventative methods are needed to target this population for the betterment of the health system in Africa.…”

Characterizing the female general surgery workforce in rural and regional Australia

“…Female general surgeons typically work less hours and are less likely to reach leadership roles compared with males, possibly because they are fitting in other life commitments, such as caring roles. 7 General surgical training is long and typically occurs alongside major life milestones such as pregnancy and parenting, which may require time off work, particularly for maternity leave. Thirty-nine percent of our respondents took at least 6 months off during accredited training (commonly for parental leave).…”

“…Inflexible and longer hours may deter the recruitment and retention of female trainees into rural general surgical vacancies. 7 Supporting the non-professional needs of female rural general surgeons is also critical. Australian research has shown that female doctors move away from smaller rural centres when they have young children and a partner in the workforce, in contrast to their male colleagues.…”

“…Moreover, childcare is traditionally perceived as a female responsibility, and this requires more support in rural areas compared to urban areas. 7 It is important that rural employment opportunities match the preferences of contemporary female surgeons. For RA2 respondents, 'lifestyle' and 'nature of work' were favoured, suggesting a more personal decision for their choice of workplace.…”

“…Our research has shown that flexible working conditions are required to attract and retain female rural general surgeons. Female general surgeons typically work less hours and are less likely to reach leadership roles compared with males, possibly because they are fitting in other life commitments, such as caring roles 7 . General surgical training is long and typically occurs alongside major life milestones such as pregnancy and parenting, which may require time off work, particularly for maternity leave.…”