Developing a program logic model for evaluation and research of a rural medical training stream.

Background: In response to rural medical workforce shortages in Western and Southwestern Victoria, Australia, Deakin University's School of Medicine established a dedicated Rural Training Stream (RTS) within its graduate entry Doctor of Medicine course in 2022. Consistent with the school's intention to promote social accountability, the RTS embodies a place-based approach, aiming to recruit 30 local applicants annually and train them in situ, thereby maximising opportunities for deeper connections with their communities and enhancing the likelihood of future local workforce retention. To underpin and facilitate collaborative program evaluation and research conceptually, a Program Logic Model (PLM) was developed. A PLM was chosen as the basis of this evaluation framework due to its foundations in systems and complexity theory and its amenity to collaborative development.

Methods: The PLM was developed using a stepwise, participatory approach, incorporating the contributions of a broad range of educators involved in the RTS program. Over a period of three months, participant input was provided through individual submissions and group workshops, sequentially developing each component of the model. Data gathered were summarised, reviewed and validated by the group periodically.

Results: The development of the PLM brought together a diverse group of academic and professional educators during the early stages of delivery of a new program, providing an opportunity for consensus building and the development of a shared understanding of the goals and objectives of the program. The developed PLM provides three clear objectives related to recruitment, training and professional identity formation. Short, medium and long-term outcomes aligned with each of these areas provide key reference points for the design of a comprehensive program of evaluation and research that is clearly linked to the program's goals.

Conclusion: The development of a PLM for Deakin's new RTS has provided an accessible roadmap that transparently communicates the design of the program to enhance local workforce outcomes for the rural communities that Deakin serves. The PLM provides a shared foundation for program-related evaluation and research, that is aligned with the strategic goals and desired outcomes.

Trial registration: Clinical trial number: not applicable.