Student doctors touch down in Hedland as COVID-19 infiltrates the community

Six medical students touched down in Port Hedland recently as part of their year-long practical placement, arriving just as COVID-19 takes hold of the North West for the first time. The Rural Clinical School of WA awards placements in Port Hedland to six students every year, providing extensive training in a number of fields and exposure which would hopefully see the young medical professionals return once qualified. Student doctor Siobhan Martin said she hopes the opportunity would give her an understanding of the challenges and rewards of working rurally. “I think just insight into what it’s like to practice medicine in a rural setting, which is less resourced and also what it’s like to live in community and see the interactions between the people in the hospital versus in real life,” she said. One of the students Brodee Lockwood said doctors and students alike are still learning about the pandemic on the move. “I think being students and being part of the hospital where everyone’s learning about COVID everyone’s really a student and able to learn with the doctors at the same time.” Another student, Meg Lawrence said the unique situation faced by the regions provided a more realistic environment to learn in. “There’s aspects of it (the pandemic) that are hard in terms of being a student, but it’s also the world we live in now,” she said. “So it’s good to learn in this environment as well, because I think that’s what we’re going to be dealing with.” The students agreed moving rural and being allowed to learn in a hands-on environment was something medical students in COVID struck cities were deprived of. In previous years students have also gained experience with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, however due to the escalating COVID situation this year’s cohort will miss out. Medical Students from UWA, Curtin and Notre Dame have attended the program in the past, with this years students being a mix of all the universities.