Go Rural #1 an “enlightening” experience as 20 healthcare students experience northwest NSW

Students visit Gunnedah Diagnostic Imaging

Over the weekend 20 medical, nursing and allied health students set out on a four-day tour of northwest NSW for the first Go Rural trip of 2024. The towns of Tamworth, Gunnedah, Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Brewarrina and Dubbo hosted students for tours of healthcare facilities, Aboriginal Medical Services, panel discussions and food and cultural experiences.

One of many student rural immersion opportunities that RDN facilitates, Go Rural road trips are hosted by RDN from funding provided by the Department of Health and Aged Care and offer an incredible opportunity for healthcare students to visit rural and remote communities to see first-hand the benefits of living and working rurally.

RDN Future Workforce Project Lead Sam Zelinski says Go Rural provides students with an insight into the lifestyle and employment opportunities - often unique to the towns they visit - associated with a career in rural healthcare.

“The students meet a range of health professionals and get to see the facilities in which they work. They meet community leaders and residents from in town and surrounding properties, hear what life in these regions has to offer, and how appreciated health professionals are in their communities.

“These trips have encouraged many students to follow a career in rural health as they are drawn to the landscapes, cultural offerings and opportunities for adventure in rural settings.”

Zoe Zhang, a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics student at the University of Sydney, attended last weekend’s Go Rural trip and spoke to the impact the trip had on her desire to work rurally.

“Immersing myself in conversations with locals and witnessing healthcare professionals' dedication to their communities has been an invaluable experience, and I am excited to embrace the diverse opportunities that working rurally offers!” Zoe told RDN.

Setting off at dawn from Sydney, students headed to Tamworth to hear from a range of health professionals working at the Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service (TAMS). General Practitioner Dr Rajesh Ishri and Practice Manager Libby Nugent hosted the tour and facilitated discussions on a vast range of topics including pathways for various professions, getting a job at TAMS, different presentations students may encounter working in the region and the perks of living in Tamworth.

Cultural experiences a highlight

From Tamworth to Gunnedah, students had more opportunities to network with and hear from local healthcare professionals with a visit to Barber Street Practice and at a panel of local professionals over dinner. In Walgett, students toured the facilities at Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service and visited the connected community gardens. As the site of the first Freedom Rides demonstration in 1965, the new Walgett Freedom Ride Memorial Park was a cultural highlight of the tour, which includes public art and narrative display to commemorate the significant events of February 1965.

Students then headed to Brewarrina for a spectacular experience at the Brewarrina Cultural Museum, hosted by Bradley Hardley. The museum overlooks the incredible millennia old heritage listed Brewarrina fish traps. In Dubbo, students toured the Dubbo Base Hospital and heard from Director of Nursing and Midwifery Samantha Quarmby before enjoying a delicious lunch at Cade Kitchen and Bar.

Arriving in Lightning Ridge, students were able to experience Black Opal Country in outback NSW, ready for a tour of the local Multi-Purpose Service and the connected HealthOne community health centre- a service that aims to create a more efficient primary health care system by bringing Commonwealth-funded general practice and state-funded primary and community health care services together. 

Creating networks in rural communities

Go Rural trips are often the first step in a student’s journey into rural healthcare, as evidenced by Occupational Therapy graduate Ashley Lawrence who attended a Go Rural road trip in 2023 and now works rurally at Outback Therapy in Lightning Ridge- a stop on this weekend’s trip!

Ashley spoke on the influence that the Go Rural road trip had on her decision to live and work rurally.

“This experience confirmed for me I wanted to work rurally. It opened my eyes to the incredible work health professionals do in rural communities, how significant their impact can be, and just how much need there is for health workers in these areas.”

"I am now a new grad OT working for Outback Therapy in Lightning Ridge, NSW. The experience has been life changing and I am so grateful for this unique opportunity."

The opportunity to network with local professionals allows students to create ties to rural towns, an element of the trip that has supported Ashley's transition to rural life.

"I have kept in touch with contact I made on the trip last year and have reached out with the occasional question. Everyone I have met through RDN have always been so helpful and informative, connecting me with various contacts and assisting in any way they can," Ashley said.

Health professionals in the region don’t shy away from discussing the realities of rural healthcare but emphasise the unique opportunities for learning and growth that they present. Zoe says this experience from Go Rural was an enlightening one that “challenged my assumptions and enriched my understanding of rural healthcare.

“Not only did I gain valuable insights into the realities of living conditions and unique challenges faced by these communities, engaging with clinicians here also revealed the importance of adopting a strength-based perspective in healthcare delivery,” Zoe said.

“It was inspiring learning about the strong sense of community, close-knit and supportive environments within healthcare teams and the large range of learning opportunities offered from working rurally.”