Madelyn Smith is one of about 20 medical and allied health students on a tour of New England to get a taste of the benefits that come with working in regional, rural and remote areas.
“I am really looking forward to the Aboriginal tour [with Len Waters] in Tamworth,” Ms Smith said.
“Aboriginal health is a big interest of mine that I would love to learn more about and hopefully work in in future.”
The Go Rural road trip kicked off in Quirindi on June 1, with a luncheon and farm visit before the students jumped on the bus headed to Narrabri for dinner with council members and health professionals.
The road trip is also expected to take in Bingara before a visit to the Aboriginal Medical Service in Inverell, a visit to the Tenterfield District Hospital, the Standing Stones in Glen Innes, and a stop at the new Headspace facility in Armidale.
The students will arrive in Tamworth on June 3, for a two-day tour of the hospital, botanic gardens, and Tamworth Astronomy Centre guided by Kamilaroi elder Len Waters.
First year medical student Alex Shepherd is also on the tour, hoping to garner a greater insight into some of the issues impacting people in regional areas.
“People are a lot nicer than in the cities and are more welcoming,” Mr Shepherd said of his reasons for wanting to work in a rural area.
“And the places that really need the most help, in terms of healthcare, are those in regional areas of Australia, which is often where the least doctors are.”
Ashley Darvell, a third-year dietetics and nutrition student at the University of Wollongong, is also on the trip, and says she is attracted partly by the community life.
Ms Darvell said she is looking forward to finding out how the lack of proper nutritional information has had an impact in regional areas.