An experience in Rural medicine that will not be forgotten!

Article by the District 9510 Public Image team, the words in italic are Brigette's.

Brigette Treloar was the worthy recipient of the 2022 Australian Rotary Health Scholarship for Rural Clinical School Students and is sponsored by Rotary Club of St Peters. Brigette is contributing to her new community environment in so many wonderful ways.

Please take a moment to read what Brigette has shared about her experience of this great opportunity in a few words below:

"I would like to firstly thank Rotary for facilitating this immersive educational experience - spending my penultimate year of medicine rurally has been so valuable for my learning both personally, and professionally.

The learning opportunities have been incredibly varied - I have been involved in interesting cases and several firsts, including observing births and being present for a death. You can never prepare for the emotive power of these events, and they reawakened my awe of the capabilities of the human body.

I grew up on a dairy farm in Victor Harbor Community, something I am very proud of, and so I have a great understanding of what life is like in a rural community and hope to provide my services to rural communities as a medical practitioner. The demand for health professionals in rural areas continues to increase as populations grow at a rapid rate – putting increased pressure on the health system to provide efficient and quality health care. Equal access to health care is important to me and experiencing first-hand the constraints of the rural health care system has been eye opening.

Port Augusta community and clinicians have been so welcoming. I am so appreciative of the hands-on learning and the independence I have been granted by the staff, especially in the emergency department and in the GP clinics. Other experiences have been with obstetrics and gynaecology, anaesthetics, and paediatrics, and majority of our University course teaching online via zoom tutorials.

Port Augusta Hospital is much smaller than the city hospitals I have had experience in, and it has been wonderful getting to know the various staff members from nurses, to ward clarks, pharmacists, cleaners, and the canteen lady.

The Australian Rotary Health Scholarship for Rural Clinical School Students has contributed significantly to my experience of living in Port Augusta. The funds have enabled me to immerse myself in the community and get the most out of this rural experience, while also facilitating travel costs back home to Victor Harbor to see family on occasion.

I have enjoyed being involved in the local netball competition and involving myself in other local events and activities such as the Pichi Richi Marathon, riding the Afghan Express on the Pichi Richi train line, attending the Quorn show, shearing sheep, partaking in Park Run and camping and hiking in the Flinders Ranges. I am immensely grateful for what this scholarship has made possible for me, and if my experience can inspire at least one person to give a rural placement a go, then I will be very satisfied, and I am sure they will be too!"

ROUND 1 – 2023 PhD Scholarship Applications are presently open and will close Friday 10th February 2, if you would like to know more about the opportunities within this program please click https://australianrotaryhealth.org.au/.../general-health.../

Want to know more about this story? Please connect with the Rotary Club of St Peters and/or reach out to Rotary District 9510 FB page.

photos from D9510 Facebook page.