Recruiting and retaining rural students: evidence from a Faculty of Dentistry in South Africa
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Date
2012
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Deakin University
Abstract
There is a shortage internationally of adequately trained health professionals to service rural areas. Health
professionals are more likely to practice in communities that are like the one in which they grew up. The WHO therefore suggests
targeted university admission policies to facilitate the enrolment of students from rural areas. In South Africa, rural students have
special needs with regard to university access and throughput because they come from the most economically disadvantaged
communities and often are the first in their families to attend university. This descriptive study, the first in South Africa with a
cohort of dentistry students, draws on data from undergraduates at a single faculty of dentistry in South Africa. It investigates the
factors affecting rural students’ access to university, their academic success, as well as their employment intentions.
Description
Keywords
Access, Equity, Oral health care, Retention, Rural students, Undergraduate education
Citation
McMillan, W. & Barrie, R.B. (2012). Recruiting and retaining rural students: evidence from a Faculty of Dentistry in South Africa. Rural and Remote Health, 12(1855): 1-10