Twenty-five first year health students have taken part in the first of three Health Workforce Queensland'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.
It is supported by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network over the next three years.
HWQ Future Workforce team leader Meredith Connor said the students visited Atherton, Ravenshoe, and Mareeba.
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"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," Ms Connor said.
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," Ms Connor said.
"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," Mr Ruff said.
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," Ms Lynch said.
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," Mr Mitchell said.
NQPHN CEO 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.
