Doctors to go rural

The Rural Doctors Network Go Rural program gets a group of young doctors and medical students to visit country medical services and farms in order to boost their knowledge and understanding of how a country practice works.

Rural Doctors Network chief executive Ian Cameron said he had been impressed with the rising number of trainees with an interest in rural and remote medicine.

“The Go Rural campaign has been valuable in inspiring the next generation of country doctors,” Dr Cameron said.

He said the program allowed medical students to experience what rural NSW had to offer both in terms of work and lifestyle.

“The event is a great opportunity for young doctors to learn about how rewarding a career can be in rural practice.

“We also think it’s a great way to introduce the next generation of health professionals to some icons of country practice.”

Central West practitioner Dr Ros Bullock grew up in Canberra and was placed at Cowra as part of a GP training program after completing her residency at Orange Base Hospital.

“My husband went to school in (nearby) Canowindra so I was lucky to be placed where we had family ties,” Dr Bullock said.

As a host of this year’s Go Rural campaign Dr Bullock showed the students Cowra’s medical services as well as a Central West farm.

“Even if we only get one doctor to relocate to a rural area from that group, that’s a job well done because we need to address the decade-long battle we’ve had with the lack of medical practitioners in regional areas available across the nation,” Dr Bullock said.

“I’d just like them to understand it’s not a scary thing, not something you should avoid because you don’t feel that you’re up to it.

“It’s something every doctor should really try and not be afraid to do.”

Dr Bullock, who lives in Canowindra, said she had always planned to practice in the bush and was lucky in her placement.

According to Dr Bullock, it was the range of roles a GP could fill in such a community that resonated most with her.

“You can do a whole lot of other procedural things and different types of medicine that you wouldn’t otherwise do in general practice in the city.”

Describing her current day-to-day work as a “smorgasbord of clinical experience”, Dr Bullock said working as a rural doctor offered plenty of variety and left no room for boredom.

As for juggling her work-life balance with three children, Dr Bullock credits the local community and environment as having made the difference.

Her message to other young doctors is to experience the rural lifestyle.

“When you have a good experience in the country, you are more likely to come back.”

A lack of young doctors in regional areas was another factor Dr Bullock would like graduates to consider.

“When I look around at my colleagues, who are generally a generation ahead of me, I realise there won’t be many left once they decide to retire,” she said.

“I need more colleagues.”