This week MDRS Year 1 students have been visiting their rural sites, spending time in their respective rural campuses, communities and local health care services.

This experience is aimed at providing students with an opportunity to develop a greater understanding of the learning context, meet rural academics, professional and clinical teaching staff. The program continues to build, when students return in their second year. These experiences in MD Years 1 and 2 lead the students into spending the whole of MD Year 3 rurally, where they will live and learn for the year. This exciting learning opportunity was extended to MD Year 4 this year and due to its success, has been offered again in 2024. There are five students who have been successful in securing a position in the MD Year 4 rural program in 2024, we look forward to seeing them flourish in their final MD year next year.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Ries MDRS student on placement at the Strathalbyn Family Medical Centre was invited to accompany Mount Barker GP Dr Ben Moore, to the very remote Aboriginal community of Tjuntjuntjara, located in the Great Victoria Desert WA – 708km east of Kalgoorlie. Read more

Vanessa Ryan PhD Candidate, MPHC, BM, BN
Director, Flinders University Rural Clinical School (SA)