How Doctors can See More and Do More when they Go Rural
If you love everything about medicine, if you enjoy combining Emergency Care, Surgery, Obstetrics, Anaesthetics, Medicine and Outpatient Work, chances are you have the perfect temperament for working as a Rural GP.
According to The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Health of the Nation Report, job satisfaction is highest among GPs working in MMM6 (remote) and MMM7 (very remote) areas of Australia. General Practitioners working in rural and remote areas are more likely to feel like they are part of a team and get more feedback that they are making a difference to their patients and communities, than those working in metropolitan regions.
GPs working in remote areas (52%) are more likely to recommend general practice as a career when compared to those working in major cities and inner regional areas (36%),
Working as a rural generalist is both interesting and fulfilling, with no two days ever the same. And when you throw in the opportunities to travel the length and breadth of Australia, it can be one of the most rewarding career moves you make as a general practitioner.
“Where on earth can you get all the good stuff? From fractures, diabetic comas, myocardial infarcts, snake bites, pneumonia and retrieval medicine, to cyclones and rodeos... How can you travel Australia, see different places, meet interesting people, see how they live and learn different things? Where can you get comfortable accommodation, quality food, good salary and meticulously organised transport? When your plane springs an oil leak and you are stranded, which organisation fixes it, gets you out, and flies you home pretty much on time? Where can you experience all of these things rolled up into one?
As a Rural and Remote GP very interested in emergency medicine, I have found the secret…. an organisational treasure trove. I’ve been to Nyngan, St George, Julia Creek, Mt Isa, Doomadgee and Mornington Island and I’m just getting started. Ochre Recruitment gives me the jobs I like, visiting the places I like and maintaining the lifestyle I want. Like the cat with two bowls of cream, it’s a wonderful life. Try it. Once you jump on board with Ochre, you'll never get off.” Dr Taulke-Johnson
If you're heeding the call of rural life, here are a few reasons to just do it.
Broad Scope of Practice
Doctors who choose the generalist pathway thrive on an extended scope of practice where each day's caseload is unique. You’re the type of doctor who is generally up for a challenge as you never know who is going to walk through the door and what you’ll be presented with. Your broad skill set and knowledge might find you treating a snake bite, administering immunisations, managing chronic disease, delivering a baby, performing a surgical procedure, or working one day a week at an AMS outreach clinic. There is just so much variety!
Diverse Work Environments
Working as a rural General Practitioner gives you the chance to work across an immense range of environments. You’ll have the skills to deliver services in the ED, ambulatory care, home, hospital, outreach clinics, aged cared facilities, royal flying doctors service and of course the general practice. “A day in the life of a Generalist might involve getting up in the morning to do a caesarean section, managing a trauma case in emergency at midday, going back to your clinic and seeing someone struggling with depression, and then going back to the hospital, managing someone with pneumonia or complex diabetes in the evening”. Rural Generalist Dr John Hall
Chance to Evolve Your Skill Set
There are so many more opportunities to grow and develop than in urban settings, as there are fewer specialised professionals working in rural communities. You will become more resourceful, rely on your clinical instincts and gain in confidence quickly. You will navigate the complexities of your patients' often chronic and complex illnesses, providing acute care when things turn ugly, working with them when they try to get things back on track, and caring for them when they are in the hospital.
Working as a Rural Generalist can also increase your career options as you explore opportunities in clinical leadership, international aid and retrieval medicine.
Earn Higher Locum Rates
It’s no secret that when you locum in rural and remote areas you earn higher locum rates. Demand for skilled practitioners is greater in these areas; consequently public health systems, AMS and medical centres pay more for their workforce. Working as a Visiting Medical Officer at the local hospital will not only attract higher rates but will also give you the chance to practice your procedural skills in a less chaotic environment. In almost all cases, accommodation, travel and car are also included in the locum contract.
Lifestyle & Cultural Experience
For most of us who were born and bred in the big smoke, cultural experiences are far and few between. Rural doctors get to travel Australia, experience unique places, meet interesting people and see how they live and learn different things. Taking a step into remote Australia will give you a chance to really discover the roots of our nation and get closer to nature. You’ll find tighter-knit communities where people are more resourceful and resilient too.
Help bridge the health inequity gap
General Practice in country Australia has been struggling for many years. With higher mortality rates than in urban locations, rural patient health outcomes are lagging. Taking your skills to the bush allows you to make a real difference to communities. “I know from personal experience that working in remote locations is one of the most rewarding career options a doctor can choose. You provide comprehensive care and are often the difference between an outreach clinic staying open or an ED being able to function adequately”. Co-founder & Director Ochre Health Group & Rural Generalist Dr Hamish Meldrum
As a rural GP, you will learn more, earn more, see and do more.
Ochre are once again proud sponsors of the upcoming RMA24 conference held in Darwin from the 23rd – 26th October.
As Australia's peak national event for rural and remote doctors, the program is full of innovative and informative presentations, practical workshops and social events.
If you are planning on attending, we'd like to invite you to a dinner we are hosting on the evening of Day 1 where we can celebrate the amazing work you do and talk in person about GP opportunities in rural Australia.. Email [email protected] and we'll send you the details.
In the meantime, view a selection of our Rural GP locum roles here and register your interest online
Alternatively, contact our Rural Generalist and Hospital Division… let us know where you want to go, and we’ll take you there.
