Narrogin Health Service and RCSWA up the ante in 2024 with record number of med students

Five medical students in their second-last year of study will undertake a year-long placement at NHS in 2024, the most ever hosted by the hospital in conjunction with the Rural Clinical School of WA. Cleo Wiese, Zoe Polglase, Chelsea Francis, David Lochore and Mikala Bower have been made welcome after arriving in Narrogin two weeks ago and NHS lead medical co-ordinator Dr Andrew Knight is looking forward to the year ahead. “It’s exciting to welcome a new group,” he said. “They seem very switched on, very cohesive and functioning really independently — all great signs. “Having training doctors enriches our working lives and it enriches the patients’ experience as well.” The cohort is keen to roll up their sleeves and experience a slice of country life. “I’ve got family in Narrogin so it’s nice to be living here rather than just visiting,” Ms Wiese said. “I think it’s going to be really busy but that’s a good thing — we’re going to have lots of opportunity for learning here in terms of it being very hands-on as compared to what it would be in a metro hospital.” The students will provide support to St John Ambulance while on placement, deepening their immersion. “We’ve signed up for the ambo service and some of us will be working in the pharmacy,” Ms Wiese said. “You’ll be seeing med students everywhere.” Hailing from Margaret River, Mr Lochore is at home in the country. “This is the first opportunity we’ve had to do a regional placement,” he said. “I love the country lifestyle and I think being here for a whole year means we’re able to become part of the team a lot more than you can in the city and I think that’s a pretty unique thing with the rural placements.” Ms Bower is also keen to experience the hands-on nature of rural medicine. “In the city, often we’re placed on one ward and you only really see what happens on that ward, you’re often a bit of a fly on the wall,” she said. “Here you get asked to do a lot more and have more opportunities than you’d have otherwise.” The NHS/RCSWA initiative is well regarded by past students. “What I’ve heard about the hospital is that they’re so keen for you to get involved, everyone is keen to teach and share their knowledge,” Ms Francis said. “That’s what I’m excited about and that’s certainly been my experience so far.” The whole community is set to benefit from the arrival of the five. “I think a few of us might join hockey and other sports,” Ms Polglase said. “I played hockey in Perth which works out well for me because it’s very big here — I’ll be down there a bit I suspect.”