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Students
It is an exciting time for students to get involved in rural health, and RDN is here to help. We provide training and networking opportunities, as well scholarships and other rural immersion opportunities to introduce students to the rewards of a career in rural medicine, nursing and allied health. We also provide a range of recruitment services for early career health professionals.
Our programs and scholarships are designed to assist students through their studies and into their early working careers whilst providing a true sense of rural life, both clinically and non-clinically. Some key RDN initiatives for students include:
- Go Rural road trips
- Bush Bursaries
- Cadetships
- Outreach Student Placement Programs
- Nurse Student Rural Placement Project
- Rural Health Careers Forum
- Medical Students Rural Inspiration Conference
Read more about our recruitment services for early career doctors and other health professionals here:
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Our high school students page provides links to information on different health careers and living and working in rural NSW.
Rural Health Careers Forum
What: High school students interested in a career working in healthcare in rural areas are invited to our annual Rural Health Careers Forum where you can learn about career pathways for medicine, nursing, midwifery, allied health, Aboriginal health and administration.
Who: High school students.
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Go Rural
What: A road trip to remote, rural and regional NSW visiting health services and experiencing rural life.
Who: Domestic and international students enroled in a medical, nursing, midwifery or allied health degree in NSW/ACT.
Outreach Student Placement Program
What: Shadow an Outreach service provider in a rural or remote community.
Who: Medical, nursing and allied health students in NSW/ACT.
Bush Bursary and Country Women's Association Scholarships
What: Successful applicants receive a scholarship to assist with the costs associated with participating in the program and complete a two-week rural placement.
Who: Medical, midwifery and nursing students.
Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship and Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship for Indigenous Medical Students
What: Successful applicants receive up to $15,000 per year for the final two years of their medical degree and in return, undertake two of the first three years of their hospital training in an eligible rural NSW hospital.
Who: Medical students studying in NSW. Interstate and NZ students are eligible to apply if they completed year 12 in NSW.
Read more:
- Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship
- Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship for Indigenous Medical Students
Nurse Student Rural Placement Project
What: Nursing students are provided with the opportunity to undertake high quality placements in a range of primary health care settings in rural NSW.
Who: Nursing students.
Rural Health Clubs
The National Rural Health Student Network is a multidisciplinary health network comprising 28 rural health clubs at universities around Australia.
Join your university Rural Health Club and join the multidisciplinary health network of like-minded students interested in a rural health career.
If you intend to go into general practice you may also be interested in the General Practice Student Network.
Useful resources for students
- The National Rural Health Student Network's Rural Placements Guide on how to make the most of your placement
- The National Rural Health Student Network's guide 'When the Cowpat hits the Windmill' covers mental health issues faced by students while on placement in the bush
- For students embarking on a career in medicine, 'Keeping Your Grass Greener' is a must-read
- For rural and regional students looking for help with tertiary study, the Country Education Foundation of Australia's Scholarships Guide is worth a look
- For advice on what to consider before applying for a scholarship, read Scholarships - Things to Consider
- You can also browse our Scholarships Database.
BONDED STUDENTS
RDN can provide tailored support to bonded students, including updates to Department of Health reforms, rural immersion opportunities, and identifying opportunities to complete return of service obligations. Learn more.
Check out the Bonded participant page on Rural Health Pro. The group is a forum to share and discuss topics, ask questions and talk through your experiences of the program or being involved in rural health opportunities.
Contact bondedsupport@nswrdn.com.au for more information.
EARLY CAREER
For nursing and allied health students
RDN offers recruitment services for nursing and allied health professionals looking to go rural. Learn more here and read our advice on preparing your CV and getting ready for an interview.
For medical students
If you're interested in working in general practice in the country start with our information for Early Career Doctors. You should also check out Rural Preferential Recruitment, a preferential recruitment process for final year medical graduates who wish to work in rural facilities across New South Wales. You might also be interested in the General Practice Registrars Australia.
If you are a qualified health professional looking for funding to support your professional development in the field of medicine, nursing, allied health, dentistry and Aboriginal health in rural and remote NSW, please visit the Health Workforce Scholarship Program page.
Find out more
Email students@nswrdn.com.au if you would like any more help learning about the exciting opportunities of a rural health career.
To receive information about events, programs and scholarships for students, subscribe to RDN's mailing list and select "Student Opportunities" as an interest:
