The RURAL MEDICINE experience
Third-year medical student Jess Traves’ desire to become a rural doctor has only increased with each regional and rural placement.
Despite growing up in Brisbane’s outer suburbs, the bush is in Jess Traves’ blood and her happy place is a paddock with cows grazing in the distance.
As a child, she spent most weekends and holidays at her grandparents’ avocado farm in Maleny or exploring other parts of regional Queensland with her family.
Medical student Jess Traves with a calf. Image: supplied
Medical student Jess Traves with a calf. Image: supplied
“I was already interested in pursuing a career as a regional doctor when I started studying medicine,” she explains.
“That was largely based on a genuine love for regional towns, and an understanding that rural and regional towns had a great need for doctors that was not being met.
“During each of my rural and regional placements over the past three years, I have become more and more enamoured with regional and rural medicine.”
The medical student’s introduction to ‘medicine in the bush’ was her TROHPIQ observership at Boonah Hospital in first year. Her affection continued to grow with a placement through the John Flynn Placement Program in the beachside town of Bargara in second year.
In 2022, Jess moved to Hervey Bay to complete her third year of study at the UQ Rural Clinical School and elected to do a 12-week Extended Rural and Remote Medicine placement in the town of Theodore.
“I was so excited to study at the Rural Clinical School this year and learn from one of the greats of rural medicine in Theodore. I have very little doubt that it has been the best year of my medical studies yet,” she says.
“I liken regional and rural medicine to the medicine you imagined as a kid growing up – a jack-of-all-trades kind of medicine – where you may have no choice but to rise to the occasion and upskill to serve a community’s needs and requirements.
“Additionally, I think the work of the Rural Clinical School in introducing students to the regions and rural communities is paramount to one day seeing a health system in Queensland that is truly one of equal access and opportunity.”
Jess outside Theodore Hospital
Jess outside Theodore Hospital
In between studying and placements, Jess works casual jobs to help fund her rent, food, travel and life outside of medicine.
“At certain times of the year the requirement to work has been particularly taxing and hasn’t left me with a whole lot of time that is truly my own,” she explains.
“I’ve found that I need to be incredibly organised to juggle study, work and life – opening my Google calendar or diary can be a frightening experience.”
In 2023, Jess will make the move to Toowoomba for her fourth and final year of medical school, with hopes of one day becoming a regional general paediatrician.
“There is such need for dedicated healthcare in the regions, and you never know whether you might just love it, unless you try it.”
This story is featured in the Summer 2022 edition of UQmedicine Magazine. View the latest edition here. Or to listen, watch, or read more stories from UQ’s Faculty of Medicine, visit our blog, MayneStream.
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