Rural Health – Real Conversations brings the stories of students, clinicians, and educators working across regional and remote South Australia to the forefront. In this post, we sit down with Elspeth Radford, the host of the series, to learn more about her role, what inspired her to launch the podcast, and what audiences can expect from these insightful conversations. 

Can you tell us a bit bout your role at Flinders and your connection to rural health?

I am the Community Engagement and Communications Officer for Flinders Rural and Remote Health SA which is part of the College of Medicine and Public Health.

Since 1997, across our SA rural campuses and regions, RRH have been training Flinders medical students, interested in rural practice in their clinical year3 which has grown to include an option for year 4 and now the full 4-year MD program or SA Rural Medical Program, the only end-to-end rural MD in South Australia. As part of my role, I attend regional events during the year to promote the study of health disciplines and, in particular, medicine.

In the past, I also worked as a registered nurse in rural locations for many years and have an understanding and empathy for rural people and the health challenges.

What inspired you to host the Rural Health: Real Conversations series?

I enjoy speaking to our students about their journeys to medicine; they are so inspiring and have had incredibly diverse backgrounds and careers prior to joining us. I felt these stories needed to be shared more broadly, to encourage others to consider medicine. So many people think that you must have a very high ATAR to even consider medicine.

As well as students, our educators and support staff are so passionate about the program, helping students be the best they can, mentoring and encouraging them and ensuring they have opportunities to be part of their new rural communities.

What do you hope audiences will take away from these conversations?

Listening to people who are at the rural coal face, sharing their experiences, will hopefully encourage others to consider working or studying rurally. The can-do attitude of our guests is infectious, and rural communities are a great place to live, work and play.

What kinds of guests or stories can listeners look forward to?

In our first series, I speak to the SA Rural Medical (SARM) Program Lead about the new SARM Program and one of our academics who came from a university in Qatar to join the teaching team in Mt Gambier, and he and his family are just loving country life.

We also chat to a rural GP who came through the Flinders program and is now not only working as a generalist GP, but is training students in their clinical years.

Rural medical students share their journeys to medicine, candidly speak about their learnings and opportunities during their clinical years and becoming involved in their rural communities. From football to surfing and exploring the region to riding at rural shows, they are just amazing.

What’s been the most rewarding part of hosting the series so far?

Everything, it is such a privilege to chat to students and staff and have them share their stories so generously.

Has any conversation or moment particularly stood out to you?

They have all been different, but one was so determined to study medicine, came from an arts background and had to sit the GAMSAT test multiple times. Her bravery, resilience and determination paid off, and as she says, “Just do it”

What’s something listeners might not know about recording the series?

It has been great fun to date and I have learnt so much, not just about the guests, but about the amazing regions they are living and working in.

What’s the one message you’d like to share with people interested in rural and remote health?

There are so many opportunities out there for rural health professionals and so much is of a generalist nature, no time for boredom as they get to work across specialities and so often in a multidisciplinary environment. Also, the commute is enviable, a GP mentioned, his home is within 400m of the shops, his clinic, the hospital, children’s school, and the river.

The first episode of Rural Health – Real Conversations lands on Wednesday, 11 March – tune in or learn more here.