In the eyes of many. the critical shortage of doctors in rural areas is the
only reason for providing rural experiences for medical students.
This article reviews the body of evidence supporting rural placements as a
long-term medical workforce strategy and additional evidence regarding the
apparent educational benefits of such placements.
By enabling medical students to learn for significant periods of time in ru
ral communities, it is now possible for universities to address the medical
workforce imperatives of the communities they serve at the same time as pr
oviding intrinsic educational advantages to their students.