A critical review of interventions to redress the inequitable distribution of healthcare professionals to rural and remote areas

Mr Nathaniel Wilson

qualifications: MSc

contribution: literature review, wrote the first draft

position: Research coordinator

South Africa

Past Affiliation: Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Capacity: Medical Research Coordinator. Research Interests: (rural) undergraduate medical education, health services delivery, sustainable rural development, rural disease epidemiology

Prof Ian Couper

qualifications: MBChB

contribution: critical reading of manuscript, made valuable contributions to content

position: Professor and head: Division of Rural Health

South Africa

Professor Ian Couper is Head of the Division of Rural Health (Ukwanda) and Professor of Rural Health at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. A trained family physician, he spent nine years practising in a remote rural hospital in northern KwaZuluNatal province, and then 16 years working in primary care and health service development in rural North West province. He held the first chair of rural health at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). He has chaired both the Rural Doctors Association of Southern Africa (RuDASA) and the Wonca Working Party on Rural Practice (WONCA Rural).

Dr Elma De Vries

qualifications: MBChB

contribution: critical reading of manuscript, made valuable contributions to content

position: Doctor

South Africa

Research interest: rural women doctors transgender health

Prof Emer Steve Reid

qualifications: MBChB

contribution: critical reading of manuscript, made valuable contributions to content

position: Professor and head: Centre for Rural Health

South Africa

Interested in rural medical education, community-based education, workforce issues, and medical humanities.

Therese Fish

qualifications: MBChB

contribution: critical reading of manuscript, made valuable contributions to content

position: Deputy dean: community interaction

South Africa

Ben Marais

qualifications: MBChB, PhD

contribution: original concept, supervisor

position: Director: Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health

South Africa

Paediatrician with interest in infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis, and rural health.