Monash graduate named RDAA Rural Doctor in Training for 2024
Monash medical alumna and rural surgery registrar, Dr Jessica (Jess) Paynter, has been named the Rural Doctors Association of Australia’s (RDAA) Rural Doctor in Training of the Year for 2024.
Dr Paynter has been a tireless advocate for rural health, supporting other junior doctors and medical students to study and work rurally. Raised in Nyah in Northern Victoria, Jess completed her medical degree at Monash as part of the Extended Rural Cohort, where she completed her placements in Mildura, Swan Hill and Bendigo. As part of the John Flynn placement program, Jess had further opportunities to cement her passion for rural health, with additional placements in Broome and the Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community in Western Australia. Jess’s dedication for rural health was recognised early on, when she received the Victorian Rural Health Awards’ Medical Student of the Year in 2018.
Since graduating, Jess has thrived working and researching in rural healthcare settings. She completed her internship at Bendigo Health and has since worked as an unaccredited surgical registrar in Bendigo and Echuca.
“Going to Bendigo for my clinical training really cemented for me what rural medicine was all about.I also had the enormous privilege of being able to work and train in Echuca, which is a smaller centre than Bendigo and more the size of the location I want to work in – the camaraderie of the whole healthcare team there is fantastic, and everyone made me feel very welcome,” reflects Jess.
While in Bendigo, Jess benefited from the support of the North West Victoria Regional Training Hub, with professional development in leadership and clinical teaching and supervision and has remained connected to Monash Rural Health, teaching final year medical students.
Jess has also led high-profile research looking into pathways for women into surgery in rural areas and workforce for rural general surgeons. She supported the development of quality research and opportunities for junior doctors to share their research, with leadership positions on the North West Victoria Regional Training Hub’s DRIVERS steering committee in 2021 and the scientific committee in 2023.
Jess says publishing quality research on rural health outcomes is crucial to the future of medical services in rural communities.
“It is critical that we continuously publish research on outcomes in rural general surgery, and rural medicine more widely, so decisions aren’t being made without our input. When I go to the big policy meetings in Melbourne, a common question is ‘Where is the research and the data to back this up?’ A culture of research helps bring an academic focus to decisions about rural health services.
“The DRIVERS conference has been really crucial in supporting academic innovation in Rural Medicine, and I’m really grateful to Monash Rural Health and all the regional training hubs that have come on-board to spearhead the conference so we actually have data and evidence to make decisions that are best for our rural communities.”
Outside her clinical work and research, Jess is active in many organisations, including the Rural Doctors Association of Victoria (as a Board member), RDAA’s Doctors in Training Special Interest Group, and the AMA’s Council of Rural Doctors (as the Victorian representative).
Jess received her award at the Rural Medicine Australia (RMA24) Conference Dinner on 25 October in Darwin.
“Receiving this award reflects the hard work that a lot of individuals and organisations have made to improve rural medical and prevocational training in the North West Victoria Loddon Mallee region,” said Jess.
“Mentors such as Associate Professor Janelle Brennan, Dr Bridget Clancy and Dr Dongrong Situ have helped shape my professional journey. They are all incredible surgeons and mentors who have worked rurally and I feel grateful to have learned and worked from them.
I’ve found incredible mentors, hands-on exposure and a good worklife balance to be most beneficial to my development as a doctor.”
Professor Shane Bullock, Head of School of Monash Rural Health, congratulated Dr Paynter on her achievements and her demonstrated commitment to improving healthcare for rural communities.
“Jess has long been a passionate ambassador for rural health and rural careers. Her commitment to training in northern Victoria is strong and was evident even as a medical student. On behalf of the School I congratulate Jess on receiving this award and look forward to hearing of her bright career as a rural surgeon.”
Next year, Dr Paynter will continue her rural general surgery training in South Australia and the Northern Territory but plans to return to the Murray-Mallee region to work as a rural surgeon once she completes her training.
“I’m looking forward to exploring some new rural places and learning and working from doctors across rural Australia! I'll always look forward to one day returning home.”