Name: William Yuen
Year Level: Year 3
University: University of Sydney
Location: Moree, NSW; Plus Aboriginal Medical Services
What did you do on your rural placement?
· Sit in on consult, discuss and clarify with GP post consult
· Long case cross consult with patients
· Community visit
· Needle Syringe program
· Counselling
· ENT surgery consult (many practice with otoscope)
· Diabetes educator consult
· Gynecology consult (supervised practice with speculum exam)
· Ophthalmology clinic consult (many practice with Direct Ophthalmoscope)
· Children health check in Kiah primary school
· Clontarf First Aid response in indigenous high-school soccer game
· Travel !
Tell us about the mentors and clinic environment?
4 doctors in the clinic, 2 IMG registrars, all very keen to teach when there is time. More you contribute and be present, more you learn !
Give us a quick rundown of the town - what’s there to see/do/eat?
Moree, part of Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC) District,NSW.
* 628km North from Sydney with a population of 13,429 and >30% is identify as indigenous.
* agricultural centre, cotton-growing industry, healthcare
* Transport (flights, daily train)
* National parks (see Sawnrocks) and cute town Inverell nearby.
* GP training hub region (GP Synergy: RA3) - 4 Accredited GP training practices
* Aboriginal Health Service (PIUS) funded government
What did you find most rewarding about your rural rotation?
Getting experience working with aboriginal healthcare workers, patients, and immersing in their culture. Brushing up on procedural skills (otoscope, ophthalmoscope, IM injection…etc). Recognising and managing different diseases uncommon in urban setting. Knowing different programs available in close the gap (Clontarf, community visits).
Why would you encourage others to complete a rotation/placement rurally?
Broadens view of what GP can be about, very different experience compared to urban setting. (ie. simple surgery for toenails, stitching often is done in clinic). It is also a great get-away to the country for exploration of nature with a dose of indigenous culture. Of course rural is not for everyone, but it may just be for you. I will seriously consider working there in the future.
Moree (map)
