The influence of longitudinal integrated clerkships on clinical scholarship in regional and rural communities of practice

All senior medical students at the University of Wollongong undertake a longitudinal integrated community-based cle rkship, supervised by experienced generalist practitioners (GPs) in a regional or ru ral community. Prior to the first clerkship, GP preceptors predicted outcomes from their relationship with the long-term students, including a more scholarly approach to clinical pract ice. This prompted exploration of preceptor post·clerkship perceptions In the light of Grigsby and Tl10rndykes (2011) recent working definition of dlnical scholarship in academic medicine.