I completed my placement in Eden, a beautiful little seaside village on the NSW south coast. I was at an Indigenous Community Health Diabetes Clinic, which is a multidisciplinary team including an Endocrinologist, Diabetes educator and Dietitian. The Outreach program gave me the opportunity to gain insight into rural health in a great learning and teaching environment but also allowed me to be exposed to great team care, which I believe is something rural areas do well. Shadowing alongside Dr Morris and the team allowed me to network with the local medical fraternity and share stories, knowledge, and laughs. The rural people of Eden were amazing and instantly made me feel at home and at ease, which gives a better opportunity to learn. Being rural is where I feel most at home and the small-town feeling is great, so you become involved in the community and feel like you fit in. Dr Morris made me feel very supported and inspired to pursue future work regionally, as the lifestyle is great and there is so many activities! Rural work is so important, and this placement opened my eyes up to just how much small towns like Eden need medical professionals, and the importance of Dr Morris’ work for the community and relationships. Each time you arrive the Eden community shower you with love! The RDN Outreach program has been a fantastic experience and I have already organised to go back!

From MET calls in maternity to putting a dislocated hip back in at the Emergency Department. Welcome to Bathurst Hospital! If this doesn’t say variety, I don’t know what does… Bathurst hospital is proving to be a great placement location with welcoming and helpful staff, plenty of variety and many opportunities to get hands on. The hospital even has a MRI machine to get those beautiful images to make the diagnosis. Oh, and did I mention events in Bathurst? Get your skates on and experience the Winter Festival, eat fairy flow at the Royal Bathurst Show or get groovy at Vanfest at Mount Panorama. There is also some awesome cafes and pubs with Trivia taking place at The George and Panorama Hotel’s. If sport is more your thing, then check out Parkrun around Macquarie River, Soldier’s saddle race day or the NRL when it comes to town with the Penrith Panthers taking on the West Tigers. Need I say much more? Central Tablelands is the place to be!

My research project is investigating clinical reasoning education in rural areas, under the supervision of Dr. Sarah Hyde and Dr. Brendan Cantwell. It is a scoping review, which is basically a miniature version of a systematic review that can be completed by only one researcher (whereas a systematic review requires multiple reviewers). I have completed my search, compiled my articles and extracted my data (which involved creating a massive spreadsheet), so I am a fair way into the project, with only data analysis and the write up to complete. Although the endless hours of sitting at the computer sounds boring, I have applied to present my initial findings at an education conference in the Gold Coast where I hope to have a discussion with many educators involved with clinical reasoning. Ultimately, my goal is to translate my findings to the creation of a formal clinical reasoning teaching program for the CSU School of Rural Medicine.

Printhie Wines 

Looking for somewhere to take your family on their next visit? Whether your family are in it for the wine or the views, Printhie Wines is a place that is not to be missed. Sitting on the elevated hillside of Nashdale, they feature some of the most picturesque landscapes that the Orange countryside has to offer. Not only is it a site for sore eyes, but it also highlights some of the region’s most prominent complexions of cool climate wines, with a particular favourite of mine being their best selling sparkling wine paired with their cheese platter. If that’s not enough for you to take your friends or your family, maybe you’d love to capture you and your company amongst the vineyard for that absolute high quality Instagram ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ moment. Printhie Wines offers customised picnic packages that allow you to roam the vineyard and have a picnic amongst the grapes. Easily one of my favourite places throughout the Orange region, and the best part is it doesn’t have to break your bank!

 Brain dumps 

 Many youtuber’s have tried and tested the practice of ‘Brain dumping’ but did you know it actually is backed by evidence? In an effort to try and declutter a mind that is experiencing an acute phase of anxiety, brain dumping allows you clean out thoughts that may be taking up space and stress in your mind. 

 Start by finding yourself a nice pen and notebook. Like cleaning a fridge that has had weeks of takeaway and random sauces added to it for god knows how long, start with a clean out. Write down in a notebook things that may be playing on your mind that you don’t have the ability to/need to address in the near future. This could include feeling worried that you didn’t reference correctly in an assessment or that awful feeling when you stuff up an examination infront of a Doctor on placement. Write these things down and out of your brain. Once they are on paper you have acknowledged them and focus on the fact that they are now out of your brain. 

 Next is the rearranging (Marie Kondo will be proud of you) of what is left. Write down a list what you need to focus on or get done. Organising these thoughts into a list will not only help you keep track of what needs to be done but give you that sense that you have organised and planned your thoughts and actions. This could include things such as walking the dog, having a conversion with your house mate about what chores need to be done or simply that you really want to buy that book you have been recommended. 

 A brain dump shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes and is something that can be done every day to help you feel mentally lighter. So, give it and try for a week and see if you feel mentally lighter!