Gippsland medical students to help shape rural generalism program
Two Monash medical students in Gippsland will help shape the future rural generalist workforce as local representatives on the Victorian Rural Generalist Program (VRGP) committee.
Fourth-year students, Brienna Allman and Daniel Patchett were invited to join the Gippsland Regional Network of the VRGP, based on their interest in rural generalism as a future medical career.
Rural generalists are doctors trained to meet the healthcare needs of rural committees, as general practitioners with advanced training in additional skills, such as anaesthetics, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology or paediatrics. This allows them to work unsupervised in rural settings within their area of speciality and provide a high level of care.
Brienna, who is currently on placement in Traralgon, first heard about the VRGP through current rural generalist trainee and Monash graduate, Dr Rachel Sultana and the Gippsland Rural Generalist Coordinator, Julie Rogalsky.
“A career in rural generalism spoke to me; being a GP who can stand in the gaps of specialists in rural Australia means that I could be a jack of all trades but tailor my skills to meet my community's needs. The flexibility and dynamism of one day working in a clinic and the next in a hospital as a rural generalist means that I would continually upskill in both acute and subacute care, meaning that no matter what comes through the door I will be prepared,” said Brienna.
“I was honoured to be invited to join the Regional Network for 2024 to continue to learn about the program and provide a student's perspective to help shape its outcomes.”
The VRGP is an end-to-end training program that aims to increase the number of rural generalists working in regional health services and communities throughout Victoria. In Gippsland, interns initially train at Central Gippsland Health Service or Bairnsdale Regional Health Service and complete an extended community-based general practice rotation. This is followed by rotations across the Gippsland region.
For Daniel, who grew up in Maffra and Drouin and is currently on placement in Warragul, rural generalism offers a potential career that is in demand within the community.
“I'm keen to stay in the region after graduating, and I have an interest in rural generalism as a training pathway.”
Gippsland Regional Training Hub Director, Associate Professor Rob Dawson, noted that the Victorian Rural Generalist Training Program in Gippsland is becoming an increasingly attractive option for medical students who have completed placements in the region. Four out of the five available training places in 2024 were taken by Monash graduates who had all completed student placements in Gippsland as part of their degree.
“Rural generalists play a critical role in providing healthcare for people in rural and remote communities - and it is an exciting area to train in. Brienna and Daniel’s insights as medical students will be important to the future development of the Victorian Rural Generalist Program and the rural generalist workforce. This is also a wonderful opportunity for them to expand their professional networks in Gippsland and gain a unique insight into rural generalism as a future career.”