Rural Clinical School student doctors eager to explore country medicine during year in Albany

A new crop of Rural Clinical School of WA student doctors have started at Albany Health Campus ready to gain practical skills and lend a hand to a health system facing unprecedented stress across WA. Twelve trainee doctors in their penultimate year of study at the University of WA, Notre Dame and Curtin will call Albany home for the next year, working in a variety of disciplines in the hospital and in general practice placements across the Great Southern. They will join six final year student doctors who are heading into their second year with the RCSWA in Albany. Two final year students, including Priya Fisher, 23, decided to return to Albany after training at Albany Health Campus in 2021. “I made a lot of really good friends last year and at the hospital you get so much hands-on experience,” she said. “I just felt like it was a much better place for me to build my confidence and learn before starting work as a real doctor next year.” Curtin University student Anna Cartwright, 20, said she was excited to go four-wheel driving and camping across the region. Growing up in Port Hedland, Ms Cartwright was inspired by her mother who has worked as a doctor with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. She said she was drawn to country medicine because of its focus on patient care. “I think it is awesome how you get to know your community so well,” she said. “You might be talking to a mum and you also talk to her three children that you helped deliver and you see them go through their life. “That continuity of care is so unique and just really special.” Esperance raised UWA student Travis Jennings, 23, said he was keen to join a local football team and explore his interest in surgery. “The real story is I was bad at being a tradie, so Dad said you better use your brain, so here I am,” he said. Mr Jennings said he was keen to gain hands-on experience and ready to lend a hand if needed when COVID-19 reached the region. “Hopefully it doesn’t get bad down here, we are a bit protected from it, but we are happy to help in any way we can,” he said. Albany RCS medical co-ordinator Dr Brian Cunningham said he was confident the students taking part in the program would be supported to remain in their placements this year despite the health system being under stress. “The students are keen to come to the Rural Clinical School to get a taste of rural life, and to work in smaller medical teams within the hospital, and general practice, with one-on-one supervision by experienced clinicians,” he said. “It has been wonderful to live the experience of seeing Albany students return as new doctors, and then doctors in training, then to become GPs, rural generalists, and rural specialists, some settling long term in the Great Southern.” The RCSWA is in its 20th year in WA and started hosting students in Albany in 2006.