Perception of medical students towards serving rural people: A study from central India

Authors

  • Yachana Choudhary Department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
  • Manju Dubey Department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
  • Manju Toppo Department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
  • D. K. Pal Department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20181237

Keywords:

Attitude, Central India, Medical students, Rural service, Perception

Abstract

Background: India is facing critical problem of paucity of certified physicians in rural areas, although majority of the population resides in rural areas. According to rural health statistics report 2015, there is a deficit of 659 doctors in rural areas. The study was done with the objective to capture the perception among medical students (interns / postgraduates) about their preference of work place after graduation/post-graduation and to know the factors responsible for preference / non-preference.

Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out, among 203 medical students in a government medical college of Bhopal (M.P) from January to March 2016. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding their preference to serve in rural areas and reasons associated with their choices. The data was entered in MS excel and analysis was performed using Epi-Info7.

Results: The study participants included 203 medical students, only 33 (16.26%), were willing to work in rural area. The major reasons for non-preference of rural area were lack of primary facilities like equipments, paramedical staff, non favorable working conditions. Majority of them responded that good salary, better lifestyle and security for doctors especially for females would make them work there.

Conclusions: Very less proportion of study participants preferred rural area as their preferred work place. Our study has shown a need for intervention to overcome these perceptions and attitudes of the students towards practice in rural area in order to reverse this disparity.

Author Biographies

Yachana Choudhary, Department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Post graduate student, Department of Community Medicine

Manju Dubey, Department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Post graduate student, Department of Community Medicine

Manju Toppo, Department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine

D. K. Pal, Department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Professor & Head , Department of Community Medicine

References

Rural Health Statistics 2014-15, Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Statistics Division. Available at: http://wcd. nic.in/sites/default/files/RHS1.pdf. Accessed on 2 February 2017.

Human Resources in Public Health in India Available at: http://www.swaniti.com/wp-content/ uploads/2015/03/Human-Resources-in-Health.pdf. Accessed on 3 February 2017.

Saini NK, Sharma R, Roy R, Verma R. What impedes working in rural areas? A study of aspiring doctors in the National Capital Region, India. Rural Remote Health. 2012;12:1967.

Jain M, Gupta SA, Gupta AK, Roy P. Attitude of would-be medical graduates toward rural health services: An assessment from Government Medical Colleges in Chhattisgarh. J Family Med and Primary Care. 2016;5(2):440.

Ossai EN, Anyanwagu UC, Azuogu BN, Uwakwe KA, Ekeke N, Ibiok NC. Perception about Working in Rural Area after Graduation and Associated Factors: A Study among Final Year Medical Students in Medical Schools of Southeast Nigeria.

Shankar PR. Attracting and retaining doctors in rural Nepal.Rural Remote Health 10: 1420. (Online) 2010. Available at:www.rrh.org.au. Accessed on 16 January 2017.

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Published

2018-03-23

How to Cite

Choudhary, Y., Dubey, M., Toppo, M., & Pal, D. K. (2018). Perception of medical students towards serving rural people: A study from central India. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 5(4), 1580–1583. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20181237

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Section

Original Research Articles