Allied Health students and clinicians – back row, from left – Hannah Larsen (Dietetics student, University of Sunshine Coast), Sophie Gouveia (Dietitian), Nick Smith (Speech Pathology student, University of Queensland), Anna Purcell (Occupational Therapist), Blake White (Physiotherapy student, Central Queensland University), Gian Largiader (Physiotherapy student, Central Queensland University). Front row from left – Jessica Hulme (Speech Pathology student, University of Queensland), Samantha Nyman (Speech Pathologist), Jasmine Sutton (Occupational Therapy student, James Cook University), Karrie Campbell (Occupational Therapy student, James Cook University), Liz McDonald (AH Rural Interprofessional Clinical Educator and Occupational Therapist). Absent from Photo: Richard Harris (Physiotherapist) and Alyson Allpass (Occupational Therapist).
Allied Health clinical students are gaining valuable experience through training placements with the Central West Hospital and Health Service.
Allied Health Rural Interprofessional Clinical Educator Liz McDonald said the Central West was very much regarded as an attractive place for Allied Health clinicians to work, train and get valuable experience in rural and remote health care delivery.
This year, seven students are undertaking first semester placements with the Central West Allied Health Team.
“Generally, they will be in our region at different times but, this year, there is an overlap between students completing placements and those starting, so all seven students are with us for one week from 26 May,’’ Ms McDonald said.
Ms McDonald said hosting Allied Health students in the Central West was a great way of introducing the future generation of clinicians to the benefits and advantages of living and working in rural areas.
“During placements, we support students to immerse themselves in the communities in which they are working,’’ she said.
“We also encourage them to take the opportunity to experience all that the region has to offer and get to know members of the local community to gain a much richer experience of their remote placement.
“It’s really exciting to support students and for the health service to benefit from this future workforce pipeline. We will definitely be encouraging students to come back once they graduate as Allied Health clinicians.
“One of the best things about rural healthcare is that, when you come out here, you don’t just learn one thing, you have to learn how to be resourceful and to think about multiple things in the same day too.
“In metropolitan areas, students’ experiences can sometimes be more restricted.
“It’s great to demonstrate a different way of working across multiple fields, to support an older person followed by a child or baby, all in the same morning.”
Fourth-year Dietetics student Hannah Larsen was born and grew up in Longreach before moving to the Sunshine Coast after completing Year 12 to begin her studies with the University of the Sunshine Coast.
As a Year 10 student in Longreach, she did high school work experience with Central West Health and was successful in her application to return for her university placement.
“I’m looking forward to having a wide range of cases and getting to outreach to places like Barcaldine as well,’’ Ms Larsen said.
Occupational Therapy student and Longreach resident Jasmine Sutton is on her second student placement at Longreach, as part of her studies with James Cook University in Townsville.
“It’s been really interesting. This placement is not what I expected – in a good way,’’ Ms Sutton said.
“We see a very wide variety, I guess it’s part of the rural generalist role. You get to see a lot.
“Both my placements here in Longreach have been great. Everyone needs to come work out here at Longreach.’’
Karrie Campbell, also an Occupational Therapy student with James Cook University, says her placement in Longreach has been eye-opening.
“It’s been challenging, we’ve been able to do so much, and seen different things like telehealth, home visits and outreach, which you normally get to miss out on if you are in a metropolitan area,’’ she said.
Jessica Hulme, a fourth-year Speech Pathologist with University of Queensland, said Longreach was her first rural placement and she would recommend more Allied Health students to undertake placements out west.
“It’s more of a general caseload here, so we’re working with everyone from little kids to people approaching their end of life,’’ she said.
Nick Smith, a fourth-year Speech Pathologist with University of Queensland, said he particularly enjoyed the outreach work that came with a rural placement.
“It’s been really enlightening and enriching in ways I don’t think I would have got in the city,’’ he said.’’
Ms McDonald said Central West Health hosted an average of eight Allied Health students each year for differing periods from a range of universities in the following disciplines:
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Dietetics
- Speech and Language Pathology
- Social Work
- Podiatry
- Pharmacy
Students are generally based in Longreach and travel to the major towns – Blackall, Winton, and Barcaldine.