RECRUITMENT
Recruitment is commonly thought of as attracting trainees to your region, but in reality it is shaped by the availability of accredited positions, the strength of pre-vocational pipelines, the functionality of administrative systems, and the lived experience of trainees within a region.
This shifts the focus from isolated recruitment interventions to system-level design, emphasising the importance of integrated pathways, responsive processes, and supportive environments.
MODELS OF RECRUITMENT
PROCESSES THAT WORK
PIPELINE FORMATION
Trainees that complete pre-vocational training such as intern or residency within a region are more likely to stay for their vocational training. As specialty training programs require specific rotations to be completed for eligibility, interns and residents that are not given the opportunity to complete these locally are forced to leave the region. This creates a structural leakage in the pipeline, undermining long-term recruitment.
POSITION CREATION
Creating accredited and funded positions is part of the process. You can't attract trainees to a region that has no positions for them to fill.
SYSTEM ACTIVATION
Participants described recruitment timelines extending over several months, during which prospective trainees disengage or relocate. These delays are particularly detrimental in competitive environments where trainees have multiple options. Recruitment, therefore, depends not only on availability of positions but on system activation. A significant barrier to recruitment is the inefficiency of administrative systems. Delays in advertising, contracting, and onboarding can result in the loss of candidates who accept alternative offers before processes are completed.
SELECTION & MATCHING
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ONBOARDING & INTEGRATION
Trainees need support when entering a new system.
RETENTION & PROGRESSION
Ensure trainees have a clear role and good supervision.
Recruitment rarely starts with a formal process. Rather, it begins when someone identifies a gap or an opportunity. This could be a clinician saying that there is capacity for a trainee, a director noticing workforce shortages downstream, or even a trainee expressing interest in a region.
From there, recruitment becomes a chain of conversations between hospitals, networks, and colleges. Recruitment only moves forward once there are enough “yes” signals across stakeholders.
THINGS TO WATCH FOR
There are barriers to recruitment that stem from factors ranging from administration difficulties to local availability.