Joshua Becker
Attracting doctors and specialists to rural areas is an ongoing struggle for regional communities.
A partnership between Bega Cheese and the Australian National University Rural Clinical School, now in its second year, offers students a glimpse into farm life.
The program aims to not only help students understand the work practices and health issues associated with farming but also gives farmers the chance to learn about medical training.
Seren Ovington, a third-year medial student, visited June and Richard Tarlinton’s dairy farm at Wandella in south east New South Wales.
Milking cows for the first time was a new experience for Seran who was apprehensive at first.
“They were very gentle on me, the cows were very well behaved, it was good, I was a little scared at first but I got pretty comfortable pretty quickly,” she said.
“I’m a little out of my comfort zone ’cause I’ve never done anything like this before.
“It’s been challenging in that it’s different, I’ve never ridden a quad bike before, I’ve never milked a cow before, but I love getting out of my comfort zone.”
Dairy farmer, June Tarlinton, was impressed with the program and said it will help young doctors to understand health issues faced by farmers.
“I think it’s a fabulous idea, I think it allows them to see what we do in a day, so that when we are injured and then we don’t take care of that injury for quite a while because we have a job to do, then [doctors] understand why,” she said.
“Well I have to say Seran has been amazing because she showed no surprise at any job we asked her to do.”
“Nothing seems to scare her, she took to putting the machines on cows like she’d done it a million times before.
“I think she’ll make a good doctor, she shows a good amount of common sense.”
Ms Ovington said living in Bega has changed her views on practicing medicine in a regional community.
“I hadn’t had much rural experience, but living in Bega for the year, everything I do this year makes me love the rural area more and more and makes me consider doing rural medicine, I think it would be a fantastic career.”