Attracting medical students to rural areas

Declining recruitment to family medicine is a pressing concern in many countries.1^–3 In rural areas of Saxony, Germany, there is a severe shortage of family physicians4 even though 27% of the medical undergraduates currently enrolled at the University of Leipzig in Saxony are from rural areas; a rural upbringing is one of the important determinants of the choice to practise in a rural area, according to Rourke.5 In response to the shortage of family physicians in Saxony, the government, health professionals and health insurance companies will implement a novel initiative in October 2008 that will provide financial incentives to support the recruitment of family physicians.6

Medical students in the third year or a subsequent year of the 6-year medical curriculum will be invited to participate in a special program, for which they will receive about €20 000 (Can$32 000). Students in this program will be adopted by a certified rural physician and will spend 1 day every month in this physician's practice for 4 years. After graduation these students are expected to enrol in a family medicine residency program, and they will have to work in an underserviced area in Saxony for at least 4 years.