Medical students complete rural placement in Narrabri

Two medical students from the Australian National University have spent two weeks in Narrabri Shire, learning about rural medicine as part of the Bush Bursary Scheme.

Second year post-graduate student Stephanie Bazley and third-year student Dyan Fosberry were sponsored by Narrabri Shire Council to engage in clinical and non-clinical services as part of the two-week placement.

The scheme is administered through the NSW Rural Doctors Network and council has participated in the program since 2010.

NSW Rural Doctors Network and the Country Women’s Association scholarship program provides selected medical students with financial assistance to help with costs associated with their studies.

In return, the students spend two weeks on a rural placement in country NSW during their university holidays.

The Bush Bursaries are funded by individual NSW rural councils and the scholarships are funded by the CWA of NSW.

The placement aims to combine the enjoyable aspects of country life as well as providing an insight into the challenges working in a rural setting.

As part of their placement, Ms Bazley and Ms Fosberry worked across the shire, spending time in medical practices, the hospital and with other local health services.

The students praised council’s Jane Linehan for her work in establishing a program during their two-week visit.

Ms Bazley grew up on a property outside Dalby, Queensland, and is familiar with medicine in rural areas.

“I’ve seen the difficulties that come with living in a rural community,” she said.

“It does really impact people in the community having to travel for health care.”

Speaking to The Courier about the placement program, she said she and Ms Fosberry were both grateful to get a hands-on experience.

Ms Bazley, who has studied a Master of Clinical Neuroscience, sees herself specialising in neurology. She also has an interest in surgery.

Ms Fosberry, from Melbourne, previously studied a Bachelor of Biomedicine and wants to keep her options open during her studies but said she has an interest in paediatrics.

She said she was happy to venture to rural NSW for the two weeks.

“I want to see as much as I can,” she said, of her placement.

What I like about ANU is students are rural NSW students.”