Fifty Perth medical students get a taste of country living during visit to Narrogin

A group of 50 medical students got a taste for living and working in regional WA by taking part in the Wheatbelt Medical Student Immersion Program last month. Rural Health West’s annual program brought 50 second-year medical students from Curtin University to Narrogin for an overnight trip on September 19 and 20. The students were welcomed by local Noongar artist Ross Storey who did a welcome to country at the Corroboree Ground. Rural Health West’s WMSIP project co-ordinator Betony Dawson said the program aimed to show aspiring medical professionals what the southern Wheatbelt had to offer. “Many students may not have travelled outside of Perth metro areas, so this program aims to provide insight into the benefits and challenges of living in a rural community,” she said. “Ideally the program results in students considering the opportunities of living and working in the Wheatbelt as doctors in the future. “Even if they do not end up moving to the Wheatbelt, by providing them with an experience of travelling to some of the towns, immersing themselves in local communities, they gain an understanding of distances travelled by patients coming to Perth, and how to provide appropriate and accessible care to rural patients.” The group of medical students had the chance to spend the afternoon with the cohort of Rural Clinical School of WA students who are undertaking a year of study in Narrogin. They also had the chance to enjoy some of the region’s natural attractions. “The 50 second-year Curtin Medical Students who visited Narrogin were welcomed to Narrogin by Ross Storey and local elder Basil Kickett, alongside Shire president Leigh Ballard before meeting with local families and health professionals over lunch,” Ms Dawson said. “Following lunch they met with Rural Clinical School of WA students and visited a farm. “A bonus of visiting at this time of year was being able to experience the amazing wildflowers and canola crops. “The following day they got to appreciate the cultural history of Dryandra with Basil Kickett before touring the wildflowers at Foxes Lair with Doug Sawkins.” This year’s program was scaled back because of COVID-19. The program, which has been running since 2018, usually invites 200 medical students to live with host families across 10 Wheatbelt towns for four days. Ms Dawson said they were planning to return the program to its full capacity in 2023 and were on the lookout for host families. “Students were disappointed to not be spending the four days in the Wheatbelt as usual, but were thankful that they were able to spend the night in Narrogin, meet community members and experience rural lifestyle and hospitality,” she said. “They also appreciated spending some more time with their fellow students. “The students also enjoyed getting creative and painting their own canola field to take home as a memento of their trip, and roasting marshmallows over the camp fire which was a first time for some students.”