Advertise on podcast: Doctor What? Doctor Where? Stories of Rural Medicine in Victoria

What if you could complete your entire medical degree in one rural community… and help address the doctor shortage at the same time? In this episode we explore the brand-new Monash Mildura General Practice Academy, an innovative rural medical pathway designed to train future doctors in Mildura from start to finish. You’ll hear from Georgia Morris, one of the first 10 graduate students accepted into the four-year program, who shares her journey from uncertainty after high school, including changing degrees, to finding her place in medicine and rural healthcare. Originally from Albury-Wodonga, Georgia also understands first-hand how hard it can be to find continuity of care in regional Victoria.  Now just six months into the course, she already feels at home in Mildura and is looking forward to building her future there. In this episode, Georgia discusses: What the Monash Mildura GP Academy actually involves. The challenges of continuity of care in rural communities. Overcoming self-doubt in medicine. The value of smaller cohorts and supportive learning environments. How this pathway could help address workforce shortages in Mildura. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

How much does it really cost a doctor to specialise, including in the highly competitive field of surgery? In this episode, we go beyond tuition fees and exam costs to explore the true cost of training pathways, including the financial burden, time, uncertainty, and the impact on life outside medicine. You’ll hear from three doctors at different stages of their careers: Dr Sumudu Welikumbura, a general surgical registrar who is currently balancing training with parenting. Associate Professor Janelle Brennan, Urologist at Bendigo Health and Director of the North West Victoria Regional Training Hub. Dr Madeleine Leung, a rural psychiatrist who completed her training in at the Mildura Base Public Hospital They discuss the difficult decisions they have had to make along the way, including around family planning and delayed career progression. But they also explain the opportunities training in regional Victoria has given them, from highly supportive workplaces, funding options and flexibility. Ultimately, they discuss whether all the time and effort has been worth it. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

What if a medical career could take you far beyond the walls of a hospital? In this episode, we explore the growing world of wilderness and expedition medicine, where doctors work in remote, resource-limited and often extreme environments.  Fortunately dramatic rescues are rare and wilderness medicine is often more about planning, prevention and managing risk in environments where help may be hours or days away.  You’ll hear from two doctors building careers that combine medicine, adventure, logistics and leadership: Dr Molly Cargill – an ACRRM registrar and wilderness medicine educator heading to Antarctica later this year to work as a doctor on New Zealand’s Scott Base.  Dr Sophie Fontaine – junior doctor in Gippsland with a passion for expedition medicine, disaster response and extreme environment research. Both guests also speak about how rural generalist training complements expedition and wilderness medicine; where being calm, adaptable and resourceful when there’s no easy back up, is key. In this episode: What wilderness and expedition medicine actually involve. Why prevention and logistics are just as important as emergency response. The realities of practicing medicine in remote environments The non-clinical skills needed, including leadership and communication Practical advice for junior doctors interested in this pathway For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

Australia’s rural health system relies heavily on overseas doctors or international medical graduates (IMGs), but their pathway into practice isn’t easy. One of the biggest hurdles is the Australian Medical Council (AMC) Part 2 exam, with pass rates as low as 21–24%. In this episode we explore what it’s really like to train and work as an IMG in Australia, and how we can better support this essential part of the workforce. You’ll hear from: Dr Neysan Sedaghat - a GP who moved from Chile and navigated the AMC assessment system. Dr Mary Beth MacIsaac - Director of Medical Education at Mildura Base Public Hospital Professor Belinda O’Sullivan - Director of Research, Monash Rural Health Dr Neysan Sedaghat shares the reality of starting again in a new system including a  new workplace culture, and constant rotations. Dr Mary Beth MacIsaac explains how Workplace-Based Assessments offer a practical alternative; assessing doctors in real clinical settings and supporting them towards registration. But beyond exams, support matters. Professor Belinda O’Sullivan says better support leads to better retention, especially in rural areas.  For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

Mistakes are an inevitable part of any job, including medicine. Understanding how to learn from them and then move on (without getting trapped in self blame), is a critical skill for any doctor. This episode brings practical insights from two doctors about dealing with mistakes in medicine and the pressures of perfectionism, which is often borne out of the medical system with its exams, hierarchy and high expectations. Hear from: Dr Luke Auciello - Emergency ACRRM registrar, at Bairnsdale Regional Health Service   Dr Sophie Fontaine - ACRRM registrar, at West Gippsland Healthcare Group Together they discuss why mistakes (whether clinical or professional) usually occur as a result of multiple, complex factors, rather than being purely an individual’s fault. They also explore: Why perfectionism is deeply embedded in medical culture. The difference between clinical mistakes and professional mistakes. What to do in the moment when you realise something has gone wrong. How mentors, colleagues and debriefing can help doctors process difficult situations. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

If you thought the Royal Flying Doctor Service is only about emergency retrievals and outback planes, then think again.  In Victoria, it actually looks quite different. In this episode you’ll hear from two general practitioners who combine living and practicing in Melbourne, with regular clinical work in the remote town of Robinvale, in north-west Victoria: Dr Anita Moss, GP obstetrician at Bayside Health and RFDS GP. Dr Catherine Sloan, GP at Q1 Medical, Melton and RFDS GP. Both doctors travel to Robinvale every six weeks for face-to-face clinics and continue care via telehealth. They explore the many career pathways the RFDS Victoria offers doctors, particularly in general practice, rural medicine and community care and describe why being a Flying Doctor is one of the most rewarding aspects of their career. In this episode, they discuss: What working for the RFDS can actually look like in Victoria. How GPs combine metro practice with regional and remote work. Why rural medicine accelerates learning and broadens clinical skills. The role of telehealth in modern rural healthcare. Supporting multicultural and farming communities with complex health needs. Why prevention and continuity of care are so rewarding as a doctor. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

Lifestyle medicine is gaining momentum as healthcare systems grapple with rising rates of chronic disease and the limits of reactive, treatment-focused care. But alongside the science sits something just as important; the art of having difficult conversations with patients about weight, alcohol, behaviour change and long-term health. In this episode, Dr Louise Sterling discusses how lifestyle medicine goes beyond offering simple health advice, focusing instead on a structured, evidence-informed approach to whole-person care. Dr Sterling is a GP at Gladstone Street Medical Clinic in Warragul, Victoria, a former GP obstetrician and was the first GP in her community trained to perform caesarean sections. Now specialising in lifestyle medicine, Louise explains how considering factors such as sleep, stress, movement, nutrition and social connection can help doctors better understand the drivers behind chronic illness and support meaningful change. The conversation explores the challenges of navigating sensitive clinical discussions without shame or judgement, and why listening deeply to patients is often the first step toward better outcomes. Dr Sterling also offers practical reflections for junior doctors and medical students, encouraging them to practice lifestyle medicine themselves by protecting their own health and wellbeing during medical training.  For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

Medicine attracts high achievers, but even the most capable doctors can feel like they don’t belong. In this episode we explore imposter syndrome; the persistent feeling that you’re not good enough, that you don’t deserve to be where you are, or that someone will eventually “find you out.” You’ll hear from three doctors at very different stages of their careers: Dr Thelma Boshoff, a PGY3 Rural Generalism trainee with RACGP who came to medicine as a mature-age student after a career in physiotherapy. Dr Will Hardy, an ACRRM trainee pursuing Rural Generalism, based in Bairnsdale. A/Prof Rob Dawson, a recently retired Anaesthetist and Director of  the Gippsland Regional Training Hub, Monash Rural Health. Dr Boshoff shares a deeply personal story of how imposter syndrome during internship became so overwhelming she nearly left medicine altogether, before the encouragement of a mentor helped her return and continue her career. The doctors discuss: Why imposter syndrome is common in medicine How perfectionism and hierarchy can reinforce self-doubt The role of mentors, peers and support networks Why self-reflection is a key clinical skill The importance of having a life outside medicine For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

So you’ve just received your internship allocation… and it’s rural. For some junior doctors, that moment can bring mixed feelings, especially if they were hoping for a metro hospital. That’s exactly how Dr Joe Wong initially felt. Growing up in Malaysia and studying medicine overseas, Joe assumed the biggest hospitals in Melbourne were the best places to train. Like many medical students, his understanding of the system came largely from online forums, rankings and what others said about “prestigious” hospitals. Instead of a metro internship, Joe was allocated to the Gippsland Rural Intern Training (GRIT) program. One year on, his perspective has completely changed. Now a PGY2 doctor at the West Gippsland Healthcare Group in Warragul, Joe says working in a rural hospital gave him more hands-on experience, closer mentorship and a supportive workplace culture that helped him transition into the Australian health system. In this episode, Joe shares: Why he initially felt disappointed about a rural internship. The pressure many graduates feel to work in “prestigious” hospitals. How rural training can provide broader clinical exposure. The value of smaller teams, stronger relationships and supportive colleagues For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday medical practice; from patient notes, documentation and imaging, to risk prediction and clinical decision support. But while AI is powerful, the ethical frameworks, governance systems, and clinical guidance needed to support its safe use are still catching up.  In this episode, Dr Shizar Nahidi discusses why AI should be understood as an assistance tool, rather than a human replacement.  Dr Nahidi is a Psychiatry Registrar at Latrobe Regional Health and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer with Monash University’s School of Rural Health, who is actively involved in research and policy work around AI governance in healthcare. He says artificial intelligence is incredibly useful in crunching the numbers and supporting decision-making, however it cannot pick up on the nuances of patient-care. The conversation also delves into the risks of AI in medicine, including data privacy, bias, over-reliance on algorithms, and the loss of personalised care. Dr Nahidi highlights the importance of transparency, critical thinking and clinician oversight. Despite the risks, Dr Nahidi is ultimately optimistic about the future of AI, which if implemented responsibly, could result in rural doctors being able to spend more face-to-face time with their patients. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia. Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

Writing discharge summaries might not be the most exciting part of the job, but it's certainly a very important one. It's a critical piece in the transfer of care from hospital to the GP or other health service. In this episode, you'll hear about how to write a good discharge summary from the perspective of an intern who regularly writes them, as well as a GP who regularly receives them. When done well, a discharge summary can help patients stay out of hospital;, enabling general practitioners to best follow the appropriate care plan. However, many in the medical profession would probably agree, the entire discharge process could be improved to allow for better sharing of information and cooperation between health services. Therefore, this episode’s guests discuss what needs to be done to make the discharge system more efficient, as well as some of the changes that are already being implemented to discharge summaries across the Gippsland health services network, following a recent improvement project. Guests: Dr Tom Kefford - GP in Warragul, VIC and Medical Educator with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Dr David McAlpine - medical intern in the Gippsland Rural Intern Training program, run through Latrobe Regional Health in Gippsland. Jared Slater -  Manager of Digital, Data and Insights at Gippsland Primary Health Network. — For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia.  Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

How much can you plan your medical career in advance? Dr Bridget Clancy is  an ear nose and throat surgeon who's cared for more than 24,000 patients over the past 20 years. On paper, you'd look at her career and assume she must have strategically planned it out. But in this conversation, she reveals that that's not the case at all.  Dr Clancy left medical school thinking she would be more of a rural generalist, than a specialist. However, a combination of mentors and the need to balance family and work life led her down some unexpected, but ultimately very fulfilling career pathways. In this episode, Bridget discusses the tough decisions she made in her career as well how her out-of-the-box thinking led to new opportunities. For instance, she became a pioneer in telehealth, when she mobilised her private practice very quickly during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr Clancy has recently closed her practice in Warrnambool and is now focusing on more governance and policy roles within medicine, including as Chair of the rural surgery section of the College of Surgeons.  — For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia.  Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

Dr. Belinda Bell is a GP based in south-west Victoria, who vividly remembers breaking down into tears for apparently no reason, while sitting in a crowded lecture theatre as a young medical student. She's very open about her past mental health challenges, including during her student and registrar years. Belinda says she learned the hard way about the need to prioritise her mental health; from eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep and knowing when to seek professional help. This even meant requesting to work part time when she was a GP registrar, in order to cope with the workload. Something, which was unheard of at the time. Dr Bell grew up, studied and interned in country NSW, before eventually settling in Warrnambool, where she is regarded as ‘the GP to see’ for mental health support. In this episode, you’ll hear how Dr Bell turned her perceived ‘weakness’  of being a highly empathetic person into a doctor's super power. She also discusses how she continues to look after her mental health as a practicing GP and now a mother of a 3 year old. Please be aware this episode also briefly discusses suicide. If you need to speak to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14. — For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia.  Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

What makes a medical student or intern want to become a rural generalist? And what does that journey look like? A rural generalist is a doctor who provides healthcare to regional, rural or remote communities. They are trained in primary care, emergency medicine and an advanced skill to meet the health needs of their rural community. This is in one of a number of disciplines, with the most common being obstetrics, palliative care, emergency medicine or anaesthetics. Rural generalists are a vital piece of Australia's healthcare system, bridging healthcare gaps in areas where there aren’t those other medical specialists. In this episode, we ask three doctors who are early on in their rural generalist career, what their role is like, from the good days to the more challenging ones: Dr Casey O’Connor - PGY6 doctor at Latrobe Regional Hospital, working in palliative care. She is part of the  Royal Australian College of General Practitioners training program. Dr Rachel Sultana -  PGY2 doctor at the West Gippsland Health Group in the paediatric ward. She is on the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine training pathway. Dr Will Hardy -  PGY2 doctor at Bairnsdale Regional Health Service. He is on the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine training pathway. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia.  Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.

Medicine is consistently rated as one of the most popular courses to study at university. However it is also ranked as one of the hardest. Students probably feel this the most at exam time. In this episode we speak to Brie Allman, a final year medicine student at Monash University, to reflect back on her degree and how she coped with exam nerves. Brie grew up in northern NSW and is planning a long career in rural health. As she finishes her placements through Monash Rural Health in Gippsland, she admits her first year as a medical student was very difficult. She says she often felt overwhelmed and failed to look after herself properly. Since her first year, she has learned helpful strategies to make sure she keeps a balanced lifestyle, while also maximising study time. Brie is also being mentored as part of the Dr JuMP Medical Mentoring program, which supports medical students, junior doctors and registrars in regional Victoria and Southern New South Wales.  For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to the Monash Rural Health website. The North West Victoria and Gippsland Regional Training Hubs have commissioned this podcast to help medical students and junior doctors learn more about training and practising medicine in regional Australia.  Find your nearest Regional Training Hub here.