INFLUENCE OF UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION ON RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF PHYSICIANS IN RURAL ALBERTA

The composition of practising physicians in Alberta, with respect to m edical school of graduation, changed between 1986 and 1991. The percen tage of graduates of the 2 Alberta medical schools increased, and the percentage of graduates of foreign medical schools decreased. Graduate s of the University of Calgary increased their percentage in family pr actice in urban and rural communities' except in Edmonton, while gradu ates of the University of Alberta increased their percentage almost ev erywhere except in communities with populations of <4,000. Although gr aduates of Alberta medical schools are locating their practices in rur al. regions, the smaller communities continue to depend on foreign med ical graduates. Retention is a problem in communities of <4,000, with greatest mobility demonstrated by non-Albertan Canadian graduates and foreign medical graduates while Alberta graduates demonstrate less mob ility. Overall, 85% of new Alberta physicians have had under-graduate or postgraduate experience in Alberta or Canada. Those with no medical educational experiences in Canada are more likely to locate in small communities. Those with post-graduate training in Alberta or Canada ar e more likely to locate in urban centres. When both undergraduate and postgraduate influences are considered, Alberta graduates appear to lo cate in non-urban regions to a greater extent than other Canadian or f oreign graduates. For family physicians and specialists, the city wher e postgraduate training was obtained has a profound influence on the c hoice of urban practice locations.