Six medical students from Griffith University’s Rural Clinical School are very excited to call Warwick home for the next 12 months as they continue their medical training in the Longlook program at Warwick Hospital.
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service welcomed the students last month.
Warwick Hospital’s Director of Nursing/Facility Manager Anita Bolton said hosting the medical students was a win-win as hospital staff learnt a lot from the students as well as the other way around.
“The experiences of working in a rural hospital can be quite different to what happens in larger, metropolitan facilities,” Ms Bolton said.
“Having students here helps keep our team fresh and engaged to share new techniques and explain how and why clinical decisions are made.
“We hope from working in a regional location like Warwick the students may decide to practise rural medicine, enjoying both the lifestyle and professional opportunities on offer.”
Senior Medical Officer Dr Hollie Berghofer said this year’s group of third-year medical students was very enthusiastic and keen to learn.
“We love having the students here as by the end of the year it feels like they are part of the family and we miss them when they go,” she said.
One of the students, Josh Gell, said the first couple of weeks at Warwick Hospital were different to what he expected.
“We’re getting right into it and so far I have worked in the emergency department, assisted with an antenatal screening and worked alongside an anaesthetist, so it’s very hands on,” he said.
“It’s quite different to the other bedside teaching placements I’ve been on as we are more part of the team.
“I haven’t decided what I’d like to do in the longer term but wanted to come rural and see the difference between working here compared with somewhere like the Gold Coast.”
The Longlook program is an extended rural placement program funded through the Commonwealth Department of Health Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training program and coordinated by Queensland Rural Medical Education.
Caption: Longlook medical students (from left) John Brady, Shivanya Gunput, Josh Gell, Sarah Veitch, Pooja Kodakathi, and Ricarda Thier have been welcomed to Warwick Hospital by director of nursing Anita Bolton (right).
