By Jeremy Cook
First year medical students have blended work with travel, heading from Brisbane to Stanthorpe to immerse themselves in the charms and challenges or rural living.
Stanthorpe welcomed up to 12 University of Queensland students over the weekend as part of a four-day immersion tour. Students visited local industries, schools, medical centres and hospitals to gain an understanding of the region’s medical capacity.
The immersion program was launched by UQ to give first year medical students an opportunity to learn outside of the classroom and integrate into one of nine rural and remote communities throughout the state.
One of the students Bramble Watson described the immersion as an “important and meaningful experience”.
“It’s one thing to read and research rural medicine, but nothing can beat visiting and interacting with the community firsthand,” they said.
Watson had nothing but praise for Stanthorpe.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting Stanthorpe,” they said
“I was already interested in pursuing rural medicine and after this, it has confirmed my feelings about what I’d like to do in future.
“There is such an emphasis on work/life balance and it’s wonderful to see the community come together to support and look after each other.”
While in town, students were taken on a comprehensive tour of the region, visiting sites like Girraween National Park, Summit Estate Winery, Summerland Camels and Queen Mary Falls, the Mount Marlay lookout and the Stanthorpe Hospital among several others.
Head of the Rural and Remote Medicine faculty at UQ’s Mayne Academy Professor Bruce Chater OAM said the rural immersion marked an important step in helping build a workforce of rural doctors for the future.
“We have learnt that if we directly expose our students early and repeatedly to positive rural experiences that are nurtured and supported by community, it equips our students with the confidence and perspective needed to go back to rural medicine,” Dr Chater said.
“This program gives students an understanding of what the local lifestyle looks like and paves the way to create social connections with residents and the medical fraternity in the community.”
