The Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) recently welcomed Emma, a final-year medical student from Flinders University, for a six-week placement in collaboration with the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA).
For Emma, whose roots trace back to kimiplinga/Deep Creek on the northwest coast of lutruwita/Tasmania, the placement offered an opportunity to expand her medical training beyond conventional settings.
"When it came time to choose my elective placement, I knew I wanted more than the four walls of a hospital," Emma explains. "I craved a challenge - an experience that would push my limits and offer something impossible to find anywhere else."
This desire for a more comprehensive medical education led her to her placement at the RFDS, where she would discover firsthand the complexities and rewards of rural healthcare delivery.
Over the course of her six-week placement, Emma gained extensive exposure to the spectrum of RFDS operations, working alongside both the Primary Health and Retrieval teams, encompassing clinical work across 14 different remote locations, more than 6,500 kilometres of air travel, and over 4,000 kilometres traversed on outback dirt roads.
Emma experienced what it was like to provide care in diverse healthcare settings including Lightning Ridge, Bourke, Grawin Opal Fields, Hebel, Enngonia, Nymagee, Weilmoringle, and The Marra.
"Each clinic had its own unique challenges, yet the team adapted effortlessly, as if no problem was ever a problem to begin with," Emma reflects.
"The cases I saw weren't all that different from metro areas, but out here the remoteness and limited resources added layered complexities, making even routine cases far more challenging and time-critical to manage”, she says
A fundamental component of preparing healthcare professionals for rural practice is developing an understanding of the Communities they will serve and Emma says that being able to connect with the Communities was an incredibly rewarding part of the placement: "The local people left a lasting impression on me. Each of them had a different story, but most began with their love for and connection to the land.”
Beyond hearing the diverse stories of the outback Communities she visited, Emma also recalled the strength of the Country hospitality they offered, “No matter where we went, we hardly ever showed up without the clinic's aircons turned on ready for us, a cup of tea, and a warm meal or homecooked sweet treat."
The Royal Flying Doctor Service is committed to developing the next generation of healthcare professionals while addressing critical healthcare workforce shortages in rural and remote Australia.
As part of this commitment and as a key action of the RFDS Reconciliation Action Plan to contribute to the growth of the Indigenous rural health workforce, the RFDS collaborates with organisations like the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA), to support and create meaningful placement opportunities for students.
By providing structured clinical placements and exposure to the realities and rewards of outback medicine, these placements help build a pipeline of professionals equipped with both the clinical skills and cultural understanding needed to serve remote Communities effectively.
Having grown up in a remote region, Emma says she was already aware of the importance of remote primary health care, but that her placement with RFDS reinforced and deepened that understanding.
In those six weeks, I have seen first-hand the impact the RFDS has on these Communities and how grateful they are to have access to such an amazing healthcare team.
"This experience was invaluable and highlighted how practicing medicine in remote areas demands not only clinical skills, but also resourcefulness, strong Community connection, and a genuine commitment to serving the Community long term."
As Emma concludes her placement and prepares to complete her medical degree, she carries forward insights that will shape her future practice: "I arrived in search of a unique experience and left with memories, lessons, and connections that will stay with me forever."
"I would strongly recommend anyone interested in primary healthcare to consider a placement at the RFDS. You'll not only see the incredible impact you can make in these Communities, but you'll also develop versatile clinical skills that will serve you throughout your entire career, regardless of where you end up practicing."
The RFDS (South Eastern Section) offers structured clinical placements for medical, nursing, and allied health students across New South Wales.
For information about placements and other student opportunities, contact students@rfdsse.org.au
