Erica Musgrove
Year 3, University of Melbourne
Echuca, VIC
Erica gives us an informative and nostalgic insight into going back to Rural Victoria, the region she grew up in, to undertake her clinical placements.
Going Rural
Growing up in Mildura, and spending plenty of time ‘on the water’ as a child, I’ve always had a special connection with the Murray river. So, when I received an email offering the opportunity to spend my third year on rural placement in Echuca, another river town 400km upstream of my hometown, I jumped at the chance. Before long plans had been made and I joined the Extended Rural Cohort (ERC) program at Melbourne Uni. The ERC program consists of a longitudinal GP-based placement for third year, with several “mini-block” speciality rotations in the areas of women’s health, paediatrics, aged care, and psychiatry.
My Placement Experience
Although my placement has sadly been suspended for the time being due to the COVID 19 pandemic, I was fortunate enough to spend four weeks in Echuca in early 2020. My placement was based largely at the Echuca Moama Family Practice, which is split between two practice sites. Like many river towns, Echuca is the Victorian counterpart to its NSW neighbour, Moama, and so many of the businesses there are of the hyphenated “Echuca-Moama” variety. My GP clinic experience was absolutely brilliant. All of the staff are incredibly welcoming and happy to help in any way imaginable, and the patients are well-accustomed to having medical students, and as friendly as they come.
The GP supervisors are experienced and competent clinicians and teachers, and encourage active participation in their consults from the first day. By the end of my first week I was parallel consulting from my own room, and was practicing (with supervision) a range of clinical skills, such as speculum exams, giving immunisations and depot injections, and performing antenatal exams. It didn’t take long to find my feet in this practice, and I thoroughly enjoyed every day I spent there.
For one or two mornings per week we would be assigned to the Echuca Hospital, often participating in medical ward rounds or taking on an ED shift, to maintain and extend our skills and knowledge in this setting. As with the GP clinic, it was the people who made the experience so enjoyable - the nurses, allied health staff, and doctors from interns through to consultants were friendly and actively involved students as part of the treating team. Overall, even in my short four weeks of placement, I felt my confidence and independence in my practical abilities grow exponentially.
About Echuca
Echuca is a touristy regional town located on the Murray river, just under a 3-hour drive north of Melbourne. With the river and recreational activities as its main attractions, the town swells each weekend with tourists coming up from the city, often with boats in tow. The town centres around the Port of Echuca, which is home to the world’s largest fleet of operating paddle steamers. The Port has been maintained in lovely period detail, with lots of cafes, restaurants, ice creameries and other shops in walking distance from the riverbanks.
Notable places to eat and drink include The American Pub (colloquially known as the “Yank”), the Echuca Distillery, Black Pudding Café, Johnny & Lyle’s, Top of the Town fish & chips, the Moama Bakery, the Port Ice Creamery, and Morrison’s Winery. For a picturesque river walk other than at the Port, try Victoria Park Scenic Drive at the end of High St.
Echuca Hospital