Rural Clinical School students help out clinics and hospitals in and around Karratha

The latest cohort of WA Rural Clinical School students have arrived in the Karratha and are already helping local and surrounding hospitals and health clinics while they complete their studies.

On placement from January 19 to November 13, the students will rotate through Karratha Health Campus, local GP practice Sonic, Mawarnkarra Health Service, Roebourne Hospital and Onslow Health Service.

Under the supervision of a doctor, they will work in the emergency department as well as psychiatry, paediatrics, general surgery, general medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology all while completing their academic studies under the tutelage of RCSWA doctors and staff.

RCSWA student Keoni Bassett said she had “loved” the experience so far.

“Growing up in the Pilbara is what sparked my interest in medicine, and I have always wanted to return to the area I grew up in,” she said.

“RCS felt like a great opportunity to train in a rural setting, learn to be more resourceful and work closely with health professionals while having the chance to make a real contribution to the community.

“Everyone is incredibly supportive and genuinely invested in our learning and development. They are happy for us to make the most of every opportunity, which makes the experience really enjoyable.”

RSCWA Academic Services officer Lehna McLean said the program gave medical students the experience of what it was like to live and work as a doctor in a rural community.

“They often get more exposure and practical hands-on clinical experiences compared to being in the metropolitan area where there are lots more students,” she said.

“Being a year-long program gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves into the community and make new connections.

“This increases the likelihood of them returning to the region once they are qualified doctors which is so important for rural and remote towns so they can grow and sustain a medical workforce.”

After the program Ms Bassett said she hoped to become a rural generalist based in the Pilbara.

“This program so far has only reinforced that goal for me, and it has been great hearing from the nurses and doctors how rewarding and impactful it is to have a career focused on rural health,” she said.

“We have already had some great hands-on experiences, including opportunities to scrub into surgeries, involvement in research projects and taking part in simulated learning scenarios.

“These experiences aren’t always available as a student in the metro hospitals and have been really valuable for our learning.”

Fellow RCSWA student on placement in Karratha Georgia Masters said she had also been enjoying the program.

“The staff here are incredibly willing to give us a chance to learn in a hands-on way, and I feel like the education experience is much more immersive than it is in Perth,” she said.

“I’ve already gained more hands-on experience here than I did in eight months of placement in Perth metro. Partaking in medical simulations, particularly at Aspen Medical Retrieval Services, has been a highlight.”

She said growing up in the regions had motivated her to work regionally.

“I grew up in Manjimup where my experiences with health care played a big role in why I chose medicine,” Ms Masters said.

“Moving to Perth highlighted just how big the gap is between rural and metropolitan health care and seeing that difference first-hand has been a huge motivator for me.”

As a “bonded student” Ms Masters is already set to work rurally after she has completed her studies.

“This experience has made me much more excited for working rurally, and getting the chance to experience living and exploring the Pilbara has made me really interested in working here,” she said.