A DOCTOR who completed her training in central Victoria is encouraging other medical students to do the same as the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners opens applications for its new rural generalist program.
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Sarah Lim came to Bendigo as a medical student on placement and made the decision to stay for the remainder of her training.
"I fell in love with Bendigo as a final-year medicine student on placement," she said.
"Consequently, I did all my training in Central Victoria and have never regretted it.
"What I enjoy most about being a rural GP is the variety and work-life balance.
"I could be in clinic in the day, in urgent care in the afternoons, working in the local hospital emergency department or teaching medical students.
"I'm just so grateful for the experience and opportunities, which I don't think I'd get in an urban area."
Dr Lim's message comes as applications for the RACGP Australian General Practice Training 2023 program and its new rural generalist training opened on August 8.
The rural generalist program includes strengthened emergency medicine and additional rural skills training in areas such as anaesthetics, obstetrics, and palliative care.
Dr Lim, who is temporarily working in Tasmania, said people in rural communities work more closely together.
"As a rural GP, I feel passionate about contributing to the community and being a part of the community," she said.
"You're not just the local doctor, you're looking after the community as a whole.
"Admittedly, limited access to good healthcare, including specialists and geographical isolation, can be challenging. However, people in rural areas tend to collaborate and support each other, and this community spirit amazes me.
"My message for anyone who wants a career with variety, flexibility and work-life balance is to give working in a rural or regional area a shot. Most of the time people start doing this job and fall in love and don't turn back."
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RACGP Rural chair Michael Clements said there were more opportunities for GPs who trained in rural and remote Australia.
"The opportunity to gain advanced skills and practice diverse medicine is a big drawcard for GPs to choose to do their training and stay on practising in a rural community," he said.
"Rural communities often rely on their local GPs to provide the majority of their healthcare needs because there are no nearby hospitals or specialists.
"This makes practising as a rural GP so rewarding, as well as challenging, because you're often called on to do more to help your patients.
"For example, rural patients will often turn to their GP if there's an emergency or birth, or for specialist services including mental healthcare."
Dr Clements said the shortage of GPs in rural and regional areas was dire.
"It's impacting the health and wellbeing of rural patients," he said.
"We really need more specialist general practitioners to meet the needs of rural communities, and to address the growing burden of complex and chronic disease."
Applications for the RACGP Australian General Practice Training 2023 program close on August 30.
Visit racgp.org.au for more information.