A report on the experiences of 5th year undergraduate medial students on rural attachments: Part I

Abstract

This report documents the experiences of 5 year medical students on the audits they carried out during rural attachments. This is Part 1 of a content analysis of final year medical students on audits that were conducted on rural attachments. The audits were carried out on key performance areas from a representative geographic spread therefore the findings are poignant. Recommendations of a practical and feasible nature are presented. From students' experiences, it is apparent that learning took place since they could identify  deficiencies in service. Although the findings were documented from students' experiences, their recommendations for improvement are practical and noteworthy. There are significant gaps in service provision that require urgent attention. Part 2 which is published separately presents the detailed findings per health facility visited. It is our hope that such specifics will guide the operationalization of students' rural attachment recommendations.