Twenty-five “excited” first year health students have taken part in the first of three Health Workforce Queensland’s (HWQ's) GROW Rural Programs on the Atherton Tablelands with the aim of encouraging them to return and work in the region.

The program is focused on ensuring remote, rural, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities have access to highly skilled health professionals when and where they need them, now and into the future. It is supported by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) over the next three years.

GROW Rural NQ presents first-year medical, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, and allied health students with a unique experience to develop familiarity and a deeper understanding of the potential of a professional and personal life they could have working in rural Queensland.

By cultivating strong connections with the health workforce community and the broader community, the GROW Rural program encourages health students to return to rural communities for their clinical placements and to consider rural practice as a future career opportunity.

HWQ Future Workforce Team Leader Meredith Connor said the students visited Atherton, Ravenshoe, and Mareeba.

“Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Medical Centre welcomed the students with fantastic cultural activities including traditional dance and an art workshop in which the students painted boomerangs and clapsticks,” said Ms Connor.

She said the activities over the three days included:

• Ravenshoe and Atherton Talking Circles with local community residents and health professionals who shared their personal and professional journeys
• skill sessions based on the 1987 Gillies Range fatal bus crash disaster scenario, rotating the students through the patient journey from first responder to ED, followed by rehabilitation, psychological wellbeing and a specific suturing session
• Mareeba families billeted the GROW Rural students on a Saturday night which allowed the students to experience what it was like to live rurally and shared a community meal at the Ant Hill Hotel
• a visit to Granite Gorge Nature Park to enjoy nature and the wildlife.

“We also had local high school and sixth year JCU students volunteer as casualties and look forward to connecting with them again next year,” said Ms Connor.

“The skill session facilitators who so generously shared their time, knowledge, skills, and passion made the sessions the highlight of the day.  

“It was great to experience how engaged the communities became with GROW Rural over the course of the weekend and their eagerness to be part of next year’s event.”

Wesley Ruff, who is studying nutrition and dietetics at Griffith University on the Gold Coast, said he “loved being introduced to the difference between living in the rural community and the workforce”.

“I think there is a lot more that goes into everything than actually meets the public eye and that’s important for individuals such as ourselves to be exposed to,” said Mr Ruff.

Kacey Lynch, who is a psychology student at James Cook University in Townsville, said GROW NQ “was such an amazing opportunity to meet new people, both professionals and peers”.

“I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes in rural practice and getting to practise some skills firsthand,” said Ms Lynch.

HWQ CEO Chris Mitchell said HWQ was delighted to take the GROW Rural Program to North Queensland following the success of the program in Central Queensland and Southwest Queensland.

“It was great to see such enthusiasm from our future remote and rural health workforce and we are so pleased that we are able to partner with NQPHN and work with the communities and key stakeholders in Northern Queensland to provide workforce solutions,” said Mr Mitchell. NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Robin Whyte said the program involved students making commitments for three years with all travel, accommodation, and catering covered by HWQ.

“We hope after qualifying, some, if not many, of the students will be encouraged to return to these rural communities and provide vital professional health services,” Ms Whyte said.

Picture caption: Seven of the GROW Rural students (from left) Savindie Abeynayak, Louis Huynh, Maddy Harris, Elliot Hunt, Caitlin Brims, Karif Hung, and Jessica Lanza on the Atherton Tablelands.

About HWQ

HWQ is a not for profit, non-Government Rural Workforce Agency (RWA) for primary health workforce in Queensland, focused on making sure remote, rural, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities have access to highly skilled health professionals when and where they need them, now and into the future.

Health Workforce Queensland Vision is to ensure an optimal health workforce to enhance the health of Queensland communities.

To achieve this Vision, Our Purpose is to create sustainable health workforce solutions that meet the needs of remote, rural, regional and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities challenged by a supply shortage of health professionals.