Country hospitality: hosts sought for medical students undertaking Wheatbelt South immersions next year

Rural Health West is calling on anyone in the Wheatbelt South community interested in opening up their homes to host medical students next year to reach out. From March 12-15, about 240 medical students will undertake country immersions as part of a program delivered by RHW and the Rural Clinical School of WA in partnership with Curtin University and the University of Notre Dame. Notre Dame Professor Donna Mak said the initiative provided an opportunity for students to experience country medicine and life in rural communities. “All doctors need to look after people from the country and need to understand the lives of people from there,” she said. “People feel more comfortable sharing their life experiences in their own home, and the students learn so much through conversations and connection with their host families.” The program encouraged medical students to consider taking up rural practice when they graduated and earlier this year 27 medical students from Notre Dame spent a week in Narrogin staying with local families. “Part of Notre Dame’s mission is to really promote to us the idea that working rurally is a good, tangible and worthwhile direction we can take,” first-year student Will Perera said after his time in the Wheatbelt. “I’ve been really gaining an appreciation for everything that I already knew was great about rural towns, that sense of community, meeting people that care about the community. “You see how important it is for us as a State to push resources towards the rural towns because you can’t just live on positivity, you need people, doctors and nurses, to come to support these communities.” Regional towns where immersions are set to take place in 2024 include Brookton, Corrigin, Kondinin, Kulin and Narrogin. RHW deputy CEO Kelli Porter said that the immersions were an eye-opener for students and important for the future of rural medicine. “For those who continue with a career in Perth, at a minimum they will gain understanding and empathy to treat their patients from rural areas and provide appropriate care,” she said. “We hope that one day they will return to rural practice if not as a GP, as a locum or visiting specialist.” People interested in hosting a med student or two are encouraged to call RHW on 08 6389 4500 or email choosecountry@ruralhealthwest.com.au.