Background: Despite major challenges to the retention of rural GPs in Australia, little is known about why some rural GPs stay long-term within their communities.
Method: A group of rural GPs interviewed as part of another study about 10 years ago were re-interviewed to explore their attitudes to their reasons for staying.
Results: Eighteen of the original group of 23 could be contacted and 13 were interviewed. Factors that appeared to promote staying in rural practice were: strong attachment to the community; and practice arrangements that allow for adequate time off-call and for holidays. However, several GPs were stressed and some had considered leaving. The stressors were similar to those identified in earlier research, including overwork and having to send children to boarding school.
Conclusion: Personal and professional support arrangements within the community appear to be associated with decisions by rural GPs to remain in practice for substantial periods of time. Retention strategies should focus on facilitation of local integration.
What is already known: Some doctors stay for prolonged periods of time in rural practice, although most leave after a few months or years. The reasons why rural doctors stay have until now not been explored.
What this study adds: Rural doctors who stay for prolonged periods of time, defined in this study as 10 or more years, have established personal and professional support networks that have provided protection from the more negative aspects of rural professional life.