Perceptions towards rural and remote practice: a study of final year occupational therapy students studying in a regional university in Australia.

Background/aim: Rural and remote health education during undergraduate training is a strategy to alleviate the shortage of rural health professionals. Undergraduate rural exposure can be beneficial in improving students' perceptions towards rural and remote practice as well as their decision to work rurally. This study examined James Cook University (JCU) final year occupational therapy students' perceptions towards rural and remote practice and if their perceptions had changed over the course of their study.