Working in Australian rural and remote communities provides students with many unique learning opportunities and challenges they may never experience in a metro setting. Student's will gain valuable insight into rural and remote practice settings; gain in-depth knowledge of cultural awareness relevant to local communities and receive high-standard clinical support and guidance during their clinical placement. Often students comment on how they have grown and extended themselves not only on a professional level, but on a personal level as well.
Author of 'The Extra Mile: The Essential Guide for Health Professionals going bush' Christine Franklin, sums up both personal and professional benefits of working in rural and remote areas around Australia:
“Rural health has the potential to take you places you may never have imagined possible. It will push your boundaries and stretch your capacity. And before you know it, your knowledge base will have extended beyond the scope of your discipline, outside traditional boundaries of health, across sectors and across the community - and it will change you."
Professor Janie Dade Smith, Professor of Innovations in Medical Education Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University QLD, is a renowned author of rural, remote and Indigenous health. Janie was born and raised in rural Australia and has extensive experience in areas such as health education, national curriculum development, policy development, program accreditation, Indigenous health and rural and remote health to name a few.
'Have an open heart, be willing to laugh at yourself because you are going to be in those cross cultural situations where you have no idea what's going on' (Professor Janie Dade Smith, 2017).
Listen to Janie’s experience and insights working as a health professional in rural and remote locations around Australia.
Youtube: Janie Dade Smith (10:44)