Supports for university counselors impacted by student suicide: A systematic review and thematic synthesis.

The purpose of this systematic review and thematic synthesis was to identify and consolidate research on the support needs of impacted Higher Education (HE) counselors that have experienced a student suicide death. When exposed to a student suicide death, counselors are often extensively involved in a postvention response. This systematic review synthesized four qualitative papers that explored the experiences of staff impacted by student suicide. Thematic synthesis revealed three core themes: The unknown, responding, and the known, and six subthemes: Gaps in knowledge of individual experience, gaps in knowledge of organizational impact, extrospective responding, introspective responding, the needs of impacted counselors, the degree of impact, and the support processes that arise from needs. The results provide a summary of the current supports available to impacted HE counselors and considerations relevant to their postvention needs.

Qualitative exploration of the career aspirations of rural origin health science students in South Africa.

INTRODUCTION: There is evidence in the literature that rural background significantly encourages eventual rural practice. Given the shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas, we need to explore ways of ensuring throughput and success of rural-origin students in health sciences. It is therefore important to understand who these students are, what motivates them and the factors involved in the formation of their career choices. METHODS: The aim of this study is to understand the aspirations of undergraduate health science students of rural origin with regard to their future career plans. The objectives of the study include to explore and identify the key issues facing rural-origin students with regard to their future career plans. Individual interviews were conducted with 15 health science students from two South African universities. Transcriptions were analyzed with the aid of Nvivo v8 (www.qsrinternational.com). RESULTS: The findings suggest health science students of rural origin studying at universities in the South African context face specific challenges related to the nature of the contrast between rural and urban life, in addition to the more generic adaptations that confront all students on entering tertiary education. CONCLUSION: In order to support rural students in their studies, academic, financial, emotional and social stressors need to be addressed. Universities should strengthen existing support structures as well as aid the development of further support that may be required.Key words: career plan, health science, rural background, South Africa.

Review of Final-Year Medical Students' Rural Attachment at District Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal: Student Perspectives

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the views of students involved in rural community-based medical attachments during their final year at medical school. The programme has been in existence for some time; but no formal evaluation thereof has yet taken place. This paper describes the first two phases of what is described as a quality improvement project: namely to describe the problem state and to discuss possible activities to improve the programme.Design; setting and subjects: The study adopted a mixture of quantitative and qualitative type research. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire which students at Nelson R Mandela Medical School; University of KwaZulu-Natal; completed at the end of their Family Medicine rotation. Consent was obtained from the participants and ethical approval granted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Humanities and Social Science Ethics Committee.Results: Students were generally positive about their rural attachment experience. The majority (86) believed that their skills adequately prepared them to enter the community. Allocation of a supervisor and rostering were found to be of great importance. Academic activities provided adequate learning opportunities. The majority (76) of students who used hospital accommodation found it to be satisfactory; although it was an area that needed attention. Technological support was lacking. Fewer than 50of students had access to such facilities.Conclusion: Students' responses were generally positive about the rural attachment experience; but logistical and technological support issues; as well as that of accommodation; need to be addressed if the programme is to flourish. Community-based education in a rural district hospital can provide unique learning opportunities for students if the opportunities are identified and the programme is well managed