A rural preference: Junior doctors choose Tamworth
Seventy-nine young doctors from across Australia will commence their medical training with Hunter New England Health this year.
Medical graduates will be based at Tamworth Hospital, commencing their first year of supervised training as Junior Medical Officers (JMOs) on Monday.
A majority of JMOs will rotate through the Hunter New England Health network over the next 12 months, which includes John Hunter Hospital, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Belmont Hospital, The Royal Newcastle Centre, James Fletcher Hospital, Maitland Hospital, Manning Hospital in Taree and Tamworth Hospital.
Acting General Manager of Tamworth Hospital Brad Hansen said four doctors would be permanently based at Tamworth Hospital for the coming year as part of the rural preferential recruitment program, whereby young doctors can nominate their preference to work in a rural facility, or ‘home hospital’ for the 12 month period.
“It’s really pleasing to welcome young, passionate medical staff to our hospital each year, particularly those who have identified rural practice as their specialised interest and potential career path,” he said.
“A number of additional Junior Medical Officers will join our team throughout the year on rotation. The Hunter New England Health network enables staff to rotate to Tamworth Hospital for a number of months at a time.
“It’s a great opportunity for young, Hunter-based doctors to experience our community and the lifestyle and professional opportunities afforded by the New England region,” Mr Hansen said.
In addition, a majority last year’s JMO cohort have chosen to stay with the team at Tamworth Hospital to further their training and career opportunities.
“This is great news for the region, as more and more local graduates who grew up in the local area are returning for their studies and forging a strong rural career pathway,” Mr Hansen said.
New recruits will undertake a week of formal orientation at Tamworth and John Hunter Hospitals and will participate in a local site orientation.
The group will participate in orientation workshops which cover topics such as ward etiquette, patient safety, admissions and discharges as well as a series of presentations across hospital departments, including pathology and pharmacy.
“Hunter New England Health is able to offer staff a wonderful balance of rural and metropolitan lifestyle and professional opportunities which is unmatched by many other health services across Australia,” Mr Hansen said.
“Tamworth Hospital affords our interns great exposure to hands-on experience across a range of disciplines and we have some of the best senior clinicians in the state who will share their experiences and expertise with our new doctors,” he said.
The overall workforce boost has been a result of Hunter New England Health’s response to Caring Together: The Health Action Plan for NSW.
Caring Together recommendations have made way for a number of clinical positions including 79 Junior Medical Officers across the Hunter New England Health Area.
Meet the Junior Medical Officers:
Antoinette Mowbray
Antoinette was born in Tamworth but has since lived in the Northern Territory, outback NSW, Western Australia, and Victoria. “I have had a great experience during my two years as a med student in Tamworth, enjoying excellent clinical teaching and opportunities to develop practical skills,” she said. “I appreciate the local rural setting, having grown up in rural and remote areas. Being already familiar with most of the hospital and JMO support staff and having established social networks in Tamworth, I am keen to continue my internship in this supportive environment,” she said. Antoinette is interested in a range of medical disciplines, and plans to work long-term in a rural area.
Michael Foster
Michael was born in Dubbo, and has studied at the Albury-Wodonga Rural Clinical School for the past three years. “I am a Rural Doctors Network Cadet, and came to Tamworth on the cadet weekend in 2008. I enjoyed it very much and liked the look of Tamworth. I also heard about Tamworth through word-of-mouth as I have a friend working at Tamworth as an intern,” he said. Michael is leaning towards a career as a physician. “There are so many possibilities, which I hope to experience and narrow down a bit in years to come,” he said.
Jodie Reardon
Jodie hails from Warialda, and completed her medical training at the University of NSW. “I chose Tamworth because it was close to home, and I had heard good things about it including teaching, the support offered from staff and Tamworth is a nice town. I always wanted to go rural,” she said. Jodie aspires to work in a rural environment and is considering GP, obstetrics and gynaecology or orthopaedics as potential career pathways.
Karen Collins
Karen studied at Newcastle University and completed placements in Taree, Tamworth and Cambodia. “I moved to Tamworth two years ago and now call this home. After a few years of living in different towns and commuting, my husband and I moved to Tamworth hoping that I would receive an internship in Tamworth and we would then have several years in the same town together,” she said. “On arriving and spending some time in the hospital I soon realised that I would also be receiving first grade training with a personal touch,” she said. “I have settled into Tamworth and love the friendly and generous nature of the people here.” Karen hopes to become a GP with an advanced diploma in obstetrics and children’s health and a focus on women’s and children’s health.
Media:
Please contact Nicole Fuller on (02) 4921 4477 to arrange a photo opportunity or interview.
Contact: Nicole Fuller
Phone: (02) 4921 4477