National roadshow puts rural generalism in spotlight

News

From the remote Northern Territory to regional Victoria, medical students from across the country have gained hands-on experience at a series of four rural general practice workshops.

 

Running across October, the RACGP-supported events were aimed at inspiring medical students to consider a career in rural general practice.

 

The national roadshow saw students take part in a series of clinical and rescue scenarios, skills sessions and hospital tours to showcase the diverse career of rural medicine.

 

Rural Rescue Challenge: Batchelor, Northern Territory

A series of seven hands-on clinical and rescue scenarios has put medical students through their paces, each designed to reflect the realities of providing healthcare in rural and remote settings.

 

The event was designed to be an immersive learning experience for the more than 30 students from the Flinders University NT Medical Program, facilitated by RACGP members and medical educators.

 

The scenarios included treating a snakebite, paediatric sepsis, heatstroke, and buffalo attack trauma

 

Dr Jahde Dennis, Rural Generalist (RG) and RACGP Medical Educator, said the Rural Rescue Challenge is a ‘fantastic opportunity’ to showcase the breadth and scope of medicine in the bush.

 

‘Engaging students in realistic emergency scenarios embraces their blossoming clinical reasoning while pushing them out of their comfort zone in a challenging but safe learning environment,’ he told newsGP.

 

‘Utilising simulations to convey the reality of resource limitations and encourage improvisation of novel solutions is a brilliant way to embed the concept of the RG in the mindset of the next generation of clinicians.’

 

Dr Dennis believes these events are vital in developing the rural workforce pipeline and showcasing the ‘diverse and fulfilling’ career option of rural medicine.

 

‘They encourage exploration and curiosity in our medical students while still encouraging robust clinical acumen,’ he said.

 

‘Holding this activity in the heart of a well-known NT rural town, in and around local health facilities, has the added bonus of providing a snapshot of life in a rural community, deepening the participants’ connection to the essence of country healthcare.’ 

 

Rural Rounds Road Trip: South-eastern Queensland

Hosted by the Australian Medical Students Association, the Rural Rounds Road Trip brought together 24 medical students and medical educators to showcase rural generalism.

 

Held across the regional towns of Toowoomba, Warwick and Stanthorpe, students participated in clinical skills sessions, hospital tours and an interactive career panel to give them greater understanding of the unique work of rural medicine.

 

Monash University medical student Aadhya Vyas said she has always been interested in rural medicine and used this as her first real-life experience.

 

‘I felt scared about committing to the pathway after internship, [but now] I feel much more aware of what rural medicine looks like and the skills I need to specifically develop for this career pathway,’ she told newsGP.

 

‘The panel discussions with RGs have made me get a deeper appreciation for the career and I’ve been able to understand what life would look like in and out of medicine.

 

‘The highlight of the trip for me has been visiting and being able to talk to RGs across rural and regional Queensland.

 

‘It has definitely reinforced my strong desire to pursue rural generalism … both through experiencing activities outside of medicine that are unique to rural life and understanding the work of rural doctors.’

 

RACGP Medical Educator Dr Jo Pappas said these trips give students a firsthand understanding of what it is like to live and work in a rural community.

 

‘They have an opportunity to form relationships with local clinicians, community members and patients,’ she told newsGP.

 

‘This allows them to see how valued healthcare professionals are in rural areas and how much of a difference they can make, but also shows them what it feels like to be part of a community … and the personal rewards that come with rural practice.’ 

DRIVERS 2025 Conference: Gippsland, Victoria

Around 70 medical students and rural junior doctors have attended the Monash University Rural Health School’s DRIVERS 2025 Conference – a professional development and networking opportunity where research and quality improvement projects are showcased.

 

RACGP Medical Educator, Monash University Senior Lecturer and RG, Dr Jacqueline McDonnell, sat on the panel and presented on her general practice journey and being an RG.

 

She told newsGP these events give students opportunities to hear from and talk to ‘real local rural doctors’.

 

‘They hear their stories and are able to see the opportunities available for rural doctor life, both clinically and socially,’ Dr McDonnell said.

 

‘We have an opportunity at these events to answer questions and show the medical students how exciting working rural is.

 

‘We show them we are never alone, work within same-minded teams and become an integral part of our rural community.’

 

The RACGP sponsored four medical students to attend the event.

GP Career Weekend: Riverland, South Australia

Twenty-two Flinders University medical students have been given a taste of rural healthcare and life in the Riverland region through the immersive GP Career Weekend.

 

The event’s hands-on clinical workshops covered essential skills such as obstetric care, cannulation, suturing, ultrasound and emergency management, with a focus on handling medical challenges in resource-limited settings.

 

Hosted by Flinders University Rural Health Society, the RACGP sponsored and coordinated the GP/RG career session which gave students an overview of a typical day in the life of a rural GP, to help inspire the future workforce.  

 

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