General News
24 April, 2023
Student recognised for community contribution
A stint in a country GP clinic provides boundless opportunities for medical students eager to get first-hand experience, and student Anita Date found that and more during her 18 weeks at Clarendon Medical Centre in Maryborough. Growing up in...
A stint in a country GP clinic provides boundless opportunities for medical students eager to get first-hand experience, and student Anita Date found that and more during her 18 weeks at Clarendon Medical Centre in Maryborough.
Growing up in Melbourne, Anita headed to Maryborough for 18 weeks last year to complete her general practice placement, seeing her own patients and scrubbing into procedures at the hospital under the supervision of doctor Rob Carson (now retired).
“The independence given to medical students at rural practices such as Maryborough is an incredible learning experience that I wish all students could get exposure to,” Anita said.
“There is nothing quite as empowering as being able to run consultations with your own patients and make your own clinical decisions, and then seeing those familiar faces out and about in town or returning to the clinic for follow-up appointments.”
As well as tackling her placement, Anita became involved with the community through work at Maryborough Highland Society’s bistro, volunteering at the community house, presenting at a VCE careers evening, and being a youth leader at the local Red Cross.
“My favourite part of getting involved in the local community was getting to bump into familiar faces all over the place, making a previously unknown town feel like home,” Anita said.
“Joining events helped me understand the spirit of giving and community that makes up rural towns, and although I was only there for 18 weeks, I felt lucky to be so readily accepted into Maryborough’s community.”
Anita said she also experienced some of the challenges faced by those living in the region, including last October’s flooding.
“We had patients presenting to the hospital’s urgent care centre with hypothermia following being trapped in floodwaters, as well as exacerbations of mental health conditions and social issues like poverty and homelessness,” she said.
“The community spirit was again on show following the flooding, with the Red Cross sandbagging properties and providing food and accommodation for evacuees, yet another example of the strength of community and the ties of support that kept the town together.”
This month Anita received the Bendigo Bank Community Project Award in recognition of her community engagement, an award presented annually to fourth-year medical students from Monash Rural Health based in rural hubs across the Loddon Mallee region.
The award was first established in 2017 and is sponsored by the Bendigo Bank, and Monash Rural Health Bendigo’s Year 4C academic coordinator Associate Professor Dennis O’Connor said the initiative aims to inspire students to engage in their placement community outside of their rostered time in clinics.
“Anita’s application was outstanding among a field of quality candidates,” he said.
“Her enthusiasm for the task and the fact that she turned a challenging placement into such a positive experience showed the maturity, innovation and leadership that we want to see in our Monash medicine graduates.
“Anita exemplifies the ideals of the Bendigo Bank Community Project Award.”
Now completing her final year of medical school Anita is continuing to advocate for rural health, joining the Australia Medical Students’ Association rural committee and tutoring rural-based high school students.
“Above all, living in Maryborough taught me that the heart of medicine is truly about connection between individuals, meaning no matter where in Australia or the world you decide to call home, you will become a vital and much-needed part of the community,” Anita said.