Pharmacists are commonly recognised as the most accessible health care professionals, which places rural community pharmacies in a unique position. In areas with limited access to medical and other allied health staff, there are great opportunities to provide further services to the community. Pharmacists in these locations are more likely to be working towards the height of their scope of practice and are moredirectly involved in patient care, compared to locations where health care professionals are more easily accessed. We believe that taking the opportunity to immerse yourself in rural practice as a student is extremely beneficial to the future of your career. Not only will it make you a more competent healthcare professional, but also better able to understand the unique challenges that patients from these areasface. With greater understanding, compassion and motivation, pharmacists will be a driving force in the challenge of bridging healthcare gaps in these communities.
Rountree et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: