Train more students in the realities of regional practice and increase the attractiveness of the regions to encourage recruitment and, consequently, counter the shortage of health professionals in the eastern regions of Quebec.
This 3-year project began in April 2022. Two universities and four healthcare institutions in eastern Quebec (Canada) were involved. All partners have agreed on traineeship targets for the four rehabilitation disciplines. To reach these targets, several actions have been put forward 1) Promote traineeships and professional careers in regional areas, 2) Enhance student training programs, 3) Strengthen student integration and support, 4) Improve supervisor support and recognition, and 5) Adapt traineeship structure to the realities of regional areas. An evaluation plan was drawn up to measure the achievement of the main aim. The evaluation of the project's actions was organized into three categories: organization of traineeships, attraction of trainees and supervisors, and retention of rehabilitation professionals in the regions. Monitoring indicators were collected from various sources, including administrative data and surveys.
After 2 years, the evaluation of the project’s actions shows that the new organization of traineeships has surpassed the predetermined targets. A notable increase of 47 traineeships (+ 127%) and 302 total weeks (+ 131%) was observed compared with the best of the three pre-project reference years. About a third of this increase was in physiotherapy (+36% of the traineeships; +32% of the weeks). Most trainees (93%) were very satisfied or satisfied with their experience, and the majority of supervisors (87%) expressed being satisfied or very satisfied with the support they received. Additionally, sixteen new hires of ExploREA students were achieved.
The present results demonstrate an increase in attractivity (traineeships) and a promising trend towards high retention rate of young rehabilitation professionals in the regional areas. The collaborative approach and sustained commitment between universities, healthcare institutions and various disciplines of rehabilitation was crucial to achieving these significant outcomes in a short period of time.
The impact of the ExploREA project to train and attract the next generation of physiotherapists in professional practice in the regions needs to be demonstrated over a longer period. A funding renewal request is currently in progress, which includes an expansion of partnerships and regions involved in the initiative.
Practice in remote and rural areas
Interprofessional collaboration
