A campaign to attract young doctors, nurses and allied health workers to careers in rural New South Wales has seen a group of young health professionals travel to Canowindra last weekend.
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Fifteen medical, nursing and allied health students from the universities of NSW, Notre Dame, New England and Newcastle participated in a three day trip to Canowindra, Orange, Molong and Cowra.
The students arrived in Orange last Friday, visited the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service and had a tour of Orange Base Hospital and The University of Sydney Rural Clinical School before setting off to meet local health professionals in Molong and finishing with dinner in Canowindra.
On Saturday, the group met with medical practitioners and allied health professionals in Cowra where they participated in a clinical skills workshop at Cowra Hospital with local GP, Dr Ros Bullock.
They then enjoyed lunch on a farm and a visit a local winery before joining health professionals and members of the Canowindra community at the local CWA Hall for dinner.
Cowra GP Dr Ros Bullock, said the students had been treated to a wide and varied experience over the weekend.
"They've been meeting some of the local people having some dinner, going to wineries and they got to see a hot air balloon this morning," Dr Bullock said.
"In terms of clinical experiences, we've been down to the medical centre and they've done some plastering and some suturing and they have been up at the hospital, meeting local staff and doing some thickened fluid boat races and some incontinence pad races and pushing themselves around in wheelchairs.
"Things that will hopefully show them the varied experience that medical practitioners have in country when they come and work here."
Dr Bullock hopes the trip will lead to an increase in the number of medical students heading to the country to begin their careers.
"I would hope they would think about doing as many placements as they can in the country so they get to know the area and get to build some relationships with some people so when it does come time to making careers decisions, they've got good mentors and good contacts," Dr Bullock said.
"We hope to love them into our community."
Two of the students who participated on the trip, Ariah Steel and Emily Neville, both from the University of Notre Dame, said their University's Rural Health Club inspired them to join the trip.
"It's really good to get experience," Ariah said.
"Haven't been to rural NSW, it's good to experience the people, the town and the community," Emily said.
Ariah, who is originally from Sydney, says she hopes to become a rural practitioner in the future.
"I've always wanted to do something hands on," Ariah said.
"They need people out here."
Emily, who is from rural QLD, said this was her first time in rural NSW.
"I really like meeting everyone," she said
"I enjoy the community feel."