July 2023

Winter Warmer

Edition #7

July 2023

Please don’t freeze to death! And DOWN WITH DENT !!!

This edition features some shameless CHARMS promos, a new section of some essential learning for patient-centred care, a Riverina run-down, and an insight into Maddie’s Inverell OBGYN placement. And my personal opinion on the best beveraginos this winter.

#TilitsDone

A word from CHARMS

Lots of fun stuff coming up for those in Orange. In particular the teams are looking STACKED for the “friendly” this weekend, but let’s make sure to have a great fanbase on the sidelines cheering us on too. Don’t forget the Tillies play Thursday night too if you need something amateur to watch in the lead-up to watching the pros. Also no-one let Jaydh sleep through the soccer again fml.

Med Ball is coming up too and looks to be a beaut night with some great speakers being locked in. So remember to put away some of this week’s cenno! Asking for a friend: anyone giving lifts from Swan Hill? 👀

Halfway Drinks will also be on pre-Med Ball so third years get keen to join!

The Rainbow Connection

A lot of you probably aren’t aware, but the media has become a dangerous place for trans people at the moment, targeting gender affirming healthcare especially. I thought this would be a good time to introduce some basic knowledge building tools we as students can take into future practice. This first infographic I thought was a good little introduction.

Sex is defined as a persons biological characteristics ie. The reproductive organs and chromosomes a person has – male (XY), female (XX) or intersex (varied). This is different to gender!

Gender is defined on the basis of ones identity, which represents the ways in which a person feels about themselves, and therefor presents. This includes identifying as male, female and non binary and anything in between. Ones gender will reflect the pronouns they identify with and may include he/him, he/they, she/her, she/they, they/them etc.

So when you see a new patient, before jumping to any exclusive conclusions, consider their identity and make sure you are respectful to who they identify as, regardless of what the paperwork says. If in doubt, it is always okay to ask what pronouns they use! This can actually be affirming for gender diverse people and make them feel more comfortable to have you involved in their medical journey.

Theo Stack - Queer Rep, MDII

Opportunities

What's On in Orange

  • Kate Gadsby Maps and Family History - Orange City Library: July 18th

  • Twilight Markets Canowindra: 3rd Friday of the month

  • Dogs in the Park: 23rd July

  • Safety of Life at Sea @ The Corner store Gallery: 29th July

  • “The Gathering” @ See Saw Wine: Aug 3rd-4th

  • Millthorpe Fire Fair: Aug 4th

  • Woodfired Eugowra: Aug 5th

  • Orange Readers’ and Writers’ Fest: Aug 5th

  • Sarah Humphreys @ The Corner store Gallery: Aug 4th

  • Wine and Fire Journey @ Stockman’s Ridge: Aug 5th

  • Inferno film screening: Aug 5th

  • Podcast Workshop with Michael Thompson: Aug 6th

  • Travelling Film Festival: Aug 13th

  • UB Winter Wonderland Party: Aug 12th

  • Fire and Blues on the Ridge: Aug 12th

Hidden Gem of Orange

This is actually in Wello but how cool!? If you haven’t been to the caves this is just another reason to go (about an hours drive from Orange). You might even see just a normal skink.

RDN Outreach Program

OB in Inverell!

Just after Easter I pulled into Inverell on my way back to Orange to do a day with the RDN outreach program. One day turned into two days (whoops!), only because I was having such a great time & it was an A grade team. My days were spent with the local obstetrician and a midwife who provide an outreach antenatal clinic for patients of the AMS. I got exposed to the best kind of rural medicine: the kindest practitioners and the special relationships between them and their patients. I’m only a couple of months into my med degree and I got shown and got to perform lots of ultrasounds of little babies (hearing their heartbeats was a highlight!), learnt heaps about contraception + got to see an IUCD be put in, but was also exposed to some hard truths about post-natal depression and loss. To say the days were interesting would be an understatement. It was a rewarding and wholesome experience, and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity.

Maddie Johnson - MDI

stunning Inverell

Clin School Communiqué

Riverina

Wagga Mardis Gras - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Starting off strong in the Riverina region, no sooner had we arrived at the surprisingly large Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, than we were sent out to Temora and Finley for a 6-week GP placement. We were warmly welcomed in these towns, where we practiced sutures on pig skin from the local butchers, inserted cannulas, assisted with an outreach clinic in Ariah Park's town hall, and indulged in the 'all you can eat' Aussie-Chinese special at the local.

My only previous experience in Wagga was military training I underwent 10 years ago at the local army base (advice: stay away from the boys with crew cuts). Similar to back then, arriving in this garrison town stirred a mix of nerves, excitement, and crippling anxiety. Thankfully, our clinical supervisors are wonderful, and the local physicians provide a wealth of knowledge to guide us on our journey. In a few weeks, I'll be starting my critical care placement, and the support from the staff and my fellow med student mates, those from Charles Sturt and other unnamed universities, will be invaluable. Based on the hospital gossip, it seems that other medical students don't typically get to step foot inside the ED or ICU during their first year of clinical training. So, we're incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to gain exposure and develop skills in these critical areas.

If you're seeking activities outside of the hospital, the Riverina region offers something for everyone every week. From picnic races and rodeos to wine festivals, the options are diverse. Among my favorite experiences so far is the vibrant Wagga Mardi Gras. However, there's also a local "beach" that supposedly made it onto the list of "Australia's Top 20 beaches," though I remain skeptical about the validity of those results. It's always important to check your sources. Nevertheless, taking a refreshing dip there during a scorching Wagga summer is a tempting prospect. So, what's currently trending? My top recommendations include attending the Wagga Mardi Gras, exploring the margarita menu at Jungle Dukes, indulging in the Barmedman Natural Mineral Pool, and treating yourself to a delicious $3 dagwood dog from the Rose Cafe in Temora.

Liz Smith - MDIII

Wellbeing - Winter Warmers

Winter is freezing in Orange. It’s even cold in sunny Swan Hill, where I write this from under layers of electric blanket and several of those old itchy woolen blankets, mug in hand. Experts say that a big part of feeling cold is perception, so stop being such whimps everyone. But also, feel welcome to warm yourself up with a lil beveragino that will warm your fingies, mouth and tummy (?). Here’s some opinions on hot drinks that no-one asked for (spoiler I love a hot drinks as a little treat so there are no bad reviews here):

  • Hot chocolate: GOAT. Especially if heavy on the cocoa or consumed at the snow. I’ve heard quality varies between cafes in town so ask an expert (one of those weird non-coffee drinkers) for intel 9.5/10.

  • Hot Milo: this is a different drink to the above, still slaps in it’s own malty way. I tried to batch cook this the other day on the stove and I reckon just actually go microwave or even the Vinnies Van/canteen special of hot water first, dash of milk at the end. If you were a MILO kid on the slopes extra points for nostalgia 7/10

  • Instant coffee: Severely underrated, big fan. Just don’t judge it on the same scale that you would normal coffee. Also don’t burn the fuck out of it and if you’re drinking this bogan dust anyway you may as well go all out on milk and sugar. Very economical 6/10

  • Dirty Chai: My fav!!! Especially on oat milk!! I love having such a painful order at cafes!! 8/10

  • Mocha: Ok if you’re 16, 6/10

  • Banjo’s Coffee: Don’t tell those sweethearts but once I found an oat milk carton lid in my coffee. Not the worst, not the best, but a nice lil routine. But TBD as no longer a patron 5/10 (but 10/10 hashbrowns)

  • Matcha Latte: Growing on me but this is coming from someone who likes “earthy” stuff (i.e. tastes a bit like dirt). Better iced 6/10

  • Lemon and Ginger Tea: Probably the quickest on this list to prepare, and one of the cheaper options. You’ll just about never catch me on a zoom without one of these in hand. IDC if you make it from scratch or buy from Aldi. Very warming 9/10.

  • Milky black tea: Also yummy but do you trust the chef to make it how you like it? Best one is T2’s Melbourne Breakfast. Great around the campfire 7/10

  • Green tea: Another tea, same spiel, very good. Great caffeine boost but I don’t find it super warming (?overrated ?healthy) 6/10

  • Irish Coffee: YUM but drink with caution. I recently consumed before class and was ready for bed the moment I sat down. 8/10

  • Mulled Wine: YUM. Even an average one is so good. Mainly consumed outside and at fun stuff like Weihnachtsmarkt so has a lot of good associations. So warming. Make a bunch of syrup at the start of winter and pre-freeze it for when you’ve got red wine on the turn or surprise guests appear with cheap wine. Other notable alco options include mulled cider and buttered rum 9.5/10

  • A cup of warm water: Underrated and gets the job done. See also: just gulping some water whilst showering 6/10

my fav placement mug

If you're interested in contributing for next month's edition get in touch with Heidi on facebook 💗