For my last two blocks of placement as a Physiotherapy student, I was fortunate enough to be offered the opportunity to complete my placement in the Northern Rivers Region of rural NSW, at two different outpatient clinics in one of the base hospitals there.
My extended Work Integrated Learning placement has promoted extensive personal growth where I was able to push my independence and flexibility to new levels in response to a more diverse variety of patient presentations as well as supervision styles in rural regions. As part of my placement, I also attended weekly Multidisciplinary Case Study Discussions as well as Education Programs, which were able to provide students with a unique opportunity to collaborate with and learn from the other members of the Multidisciplinary Team. Our learnings from these programs can then be directly translated into collaborative patient-centred care with actual patients, especially in the hospital setting.
Furthermore, this placement has set me up well to receive the wonderful opportunity to work at another rural base hospital following graduation this year. These 10 weeks have prepared me with the toolkit and soft skills required to become a “jack of all trades” as a future rural health practitioner. By using the Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, I have been able to effectively learn from my placement experiences by figuring out what needs to be kept and/or improved on so that I can continue to strive to become an effective and well-rounded health practitioner.
The WIL scholarship has enhanced my rural experience by providing funding to relieve my peers and I from weekend work, so that we can focus on enjoying community events, supporting local farmers as well as exploring hidden gems in the region.
