A medical student is encouraging his peers to consider moving to north-west Victoria through an immersion program that places metropolitan students in the regions.
It is not so much a medical placement, but a program to familiarise city people with country life, whether it be kicking the footy or having a coffee at a cafe by the Murray River.
Monash University student Lachlan Carrol grew up in Swan Hill and wants to help solve the long-standing challenges in staffing country practices.
He created the Rural Community Immersion Program, which is designed to encourage metropolitan-based medical students to complete their studies regionally and opt to train in country hospitals.
Mr Carrol said it allowed students to "experience and be introduced to multiple facets of Mildura while feeling safe, supported and given the opportunity to ask questions".
"Many of the students have not been to a rural area before and this allows them to immerse themself in the local community on their arrival," he said.
A different lifestyle
Classmate and facilitator Harrison Monk said the idea was to involve metro students in the Mildura lifestyle, to "convince them to come to complete their studies regionally".
"We've done a lot of the hospital stuff this morning," he said.
"We're coming out having a kick of the footy, going down to the Langtree Mall, and just kind of showing them the community aspect of what is involved in living in a place like Mildura."
Mr Monk said the "biggest issue" was staff shortages in all aspects of health care.
"So trying to get more people to come and experience and fall in love with regional communities is really important, but also educating those who end up staying in Melbourne, and educating them about some of the issues up here," he said.
"When they get a phone call from Mildura to Melbourne, they'll know and have experienced and understand some of the challenges that healthcare faces up here."
Asked what separated this scheme from other incentive programs, Mr Monk said it threw students into the "lifestyle and community".
"A lot of the other programs from my experience are just slideshows or lectures, just saying how amazing rural is," he said.
Mr Monk said he would consider the program successful if some of the students currently visiting the region decided to complete clinical years of study in Mildura or other regional centres.
It was the second time the program has taken place, following its introduction in April.
Monash University Rural Health director Professor Shane Bullock said the program was an orientation to rural medicine and rural life.
"This program is really important as students complete their pre-clinical part of their course and are making decisions about where they want to do their placement," he said.
Professor Bullock says "evidence shows it is difficult for young people to know what they can't see".
