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The other thing is the cross cultural aspect.
You can go through a period of culture
shock when you don’t really like that other
culture for a period of time, but when you
work through that culture shock you get to
a place where it’s such a privilege working
and learning about another culture.
The other main difference about working
in remote areas is you see parts of Australia
that you would never see. I’ve worked in
the outer Islands of the Torres Strait, some
of the most beautiful places in the world.
The coastal areas and central Australia
is amazing, the landscape, the people,
everything. And really, you don’t get to go
to those places or learn about them unless
you’re actuallyworking there, which is rare.
What advice would you
give to students going on a
rural or remote placement?
The three things I would tell someone
before they go to work in a remote
community is one, to do their research.
Find out what’s available, what’s not
available, where they can get their food.
What are the main health problems in
that community? It can be very different
in the top end to central Australia. Really
find out as much as they possibly can.
The second one is to be prepared.
Probably more if they were going there
for a job rather than just a placement, but
to be clinically prepared for that advanced
role. Maybe get a bit of experience
in paeds, in A and E, in a variety of
different roles, so that they can actually
feel like they know what they’re doing.
When you work through
that culture shock you get
to a place where it’s such
a privilege working and
learning about another
culture.
And, as far as preparation, I do think
people do need to do some education
or even short courses, or a longer
course, to be fully prepared for that
advanced role in remote health.
The third one, which I think is essential
for everybody, is to have their own self-
care plan. We really encourage people to
actually sit down and write it out.
What can they do as a stress reliever?
Reading, walking, having good contact
with their friends and families, internet
is really important. Occasionally,
that’s not really available in remote,
but it’s becoming more available.
And write out what they’re going to
‘...You see parts of
Australia that you
would never see...
some of the most
beautiful places in the
world.’