Twenty university healthcare students have gone regional and visited Young and other towns in the region as part of the Rural Doctors Network's Go Rural program. The students, studying medicine, nursing and allied health travelled to the region on 21 May for a four day tour visiting Canowindra, Young, Cootamundra, Junee, Leeton, Griffith, Hay, Deniliquin and Wagga Wagga, where they were given behind-the-scenes access to rural health services, The Go Rural Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and administered by Rural Doctors Network. Each year, as part of its commitment to growing and supporting the future rural health workforce, Rural Doctors Network organises "Go Rural" student road trips to rural and remote areas of New South Wales. Usually three Go Rural trips are scheduled each year. Rural Doctors Network’s Future Workforce Program Lead Sam Zelinski said it’s not uncommon for some students to have never visited a rural or remote town before, so it can be a completely new experience for them. “I hope these trips inspire more students to pursue a career in rural health, but regardless of where they end up, having a greater understanding of the challenges these populations face is hugely beneficial," he said. As part of the trip, the healthcare students visited Young's Mercy Care Centre, toured through Canowindra Community Health facilities with former RDN Board Member Dr Ros Bullock, as well as conversations with speech pathologist Georgie Butt and psychologist Millie Hardie in Cootamundra. Before concluding with a tour of Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, the students also toured Leeton Hospital, Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS), Hay AMS and Deniliquin District Hospital.
