Staff at the inaugural Flinders Limestone Coast Roadshow

Flinders University Rural and Remote Health SA staff and students joined the inaugural Flinders Limestone Coast Roadshow, held at Mt Gambier High School on Wednesday.

More than 210 students from high schools in the lower south east attended the event for a day of fun, practical and informative workshops across a range of study areas. Students received a taste of university and the opportunity to engage with our academics whilst exploring some of the exciting opportunities available to them in the future.

Flinders third year MD Rural Stream students Hannah Beck, Jamie Pannett, Heath Christie and Hamza Ali enthusiastically engaged students with activities including taking blood pressure, testing reflexes and checking heat rate with a stethoscope.

Local paramedics gave students a tour of their ambulances with a defibrillator demonstration. They were also taught the basics of cardio pulmonary resuscitation using purpose designed models for the exercise, with many remarking afterwards how physically demanding it was.

Dr Helen Harrison spoke to students about studying Medical Science and the broad range of potential career pathways including research and postgraduate study. She involved students in pulse rate monitoring, how to increase it and the effects.

The success of this event is hopefully a pre-cursor to future ones across South Australian regions, encouraging rural origin students to study medicine and other health disciplines.