An interprofessional programme to culturally sensitise students to the needs of patients and realities of practice in rural areas.

The University of North Dakota programme, Students/residents Experiences And Rotations in Community Health (SEARCH), was implemented to address recruitment and retention problems and stereotypes associated with practicing in rural areas by providing an opportunity for health profession students to gain experience living and practicing in rural areas and observing interprofessional practice. Each health profession student in the programme (n = 181) from 2001 to 2011 (excluding 2009) kept a four-week journal detailing daily or weekly interactions, general thoughts, and experiences. Students who participated were from medical, psychology, dental, social work, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant professions. Results were grouped into three major themes around whether the experience increased their knowledge of healthcare issues in rural areas in North Dakota, increased their knowledge about interprofessional teams, and expanded their rural awareness. Overall, students valued this interprofessional experience, learned how to work in collaborative teams, and reported having a better understanding of the needs and problems in rural healthcare. Recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in rural healthcare exhibit many challenges. The SEARCH programme has helped to alleviate some of these challenges; however, continued support for these programmes is necessary to sustain the delivery of interprofessional healthcare in rural areas.