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@ElsevierAUS

involved in the community. Because

it’s the sense of community and that

close-knit environment that’s a real

drawcard for anyone who goes rural

and if you don’t experience that, you’ve

gone out there and missed out on that.

The second thing I would say is take

something to do in your quiet times,

because there are going to be quiet times.

There are no cinemas, there’s no bowling

alleys, there’s no pub or clubs generally.

So, take some creative writing, take some

music, take some paint, do some artwork.

Findyourself inthebushandactuallyspend

that time learning to develop yourself.

The third thing I would say is be on the

ball with your clinical knowledge. You

don’t have a lab down the road. You

don’t have an MRI machine or a CT scan

down the road. Your patients will have to

travel maybe two or three hours to get to

those types of things. So, be up to date

on your clinical knowledge. Know how

to diagnose from clinical signs, really

listen to your patients and know how to

the ability to continue your profession

wherever you are. And I think it’s a big

blessing that you can give to people

in rural areas, and they can involve you

in their personal life; so in saying that,

that’s an advantage and a disadvantage.

People will be your patients, but they will

also be your friends so you do have to

be able to draw that line between being

their doctor and being their friend, but

at the same time it’s such a privilege.

What advice would you give

to students going on a rural

or remote placement?

If a student was to come to me and ask

me ‘what are the three things I need

to know to go rural?’ I would say this:

One, get involved in everything you can

when you’re out there. Get involved in

the local sporting club. Say yes to every

experience, if someone says come and

muster my cattle for the weekend, do it.

That’s the best thing you can do, get