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Recent efforts to redress the deficit of rural medical practitioners have considered the problem of recruitment and retention of rural doctors as one of influencing individuals’ career choices. Exposure to rural medical environments during basic medical training is one long‐standing example of an initiative aimed in this direction and there is some evidence that it is effective. This study sought to determine whether or not various domains of personality are related to medical students’ attitude to practising as rural doctors after graduation.

The sample comprised 914 students commencing medical studies in Australian universities. They were recruited as part of the Medical Schools Outcomes Database project and indicated intended location of future medical practice.

Seven Australian basic medical training programs.

All students completed the NEO five‐factor index …