Growing Our Own Rural, Remote and Aboriginal Health Workforce: Contributions made, approaches taken and lessons learnt by three rural Australian academic health departments.

Aims: This paper describes the investments made, approaches taken and lessons learnt by three rural Australian academic health departments engaged in the delivery of the Health Career Academy Program (HCAP). The program seeks to address the under-representation of rural, remote and Aboriginal populations within Australia's health workforce.

Context: Significant resources are directed towards rural practice exposure for metropolitan health students to address workforce shortages.

Rural and remote young people's health career decision making within a health workforce development program: a qualitative exploration.

Introduction: One strategy aimed at resolving ongoing health workforce shortages in rural and remote settings has been to implement workforce development initiatives involving the early activation and development of health career aspirations and intentions among young people in these settings. This strategy aligns with the considerable evidence showing that rural background is a strong predictor of rural practice intentions and preferences. The Broken Hill Regional Health Career Academy Program (BHRHCAP) is an initiative aimed at addressing local health workforce challenges by helping young people in the region develop and further their health career aspirations and goals.