Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) has welcomed 25 new medical interns to the region, some of whom will be doing shifts at the Bellinger River District Hospital.
The medical interns have joined hospitals across the Coffs Harbour and Hastings Macleay clinical networks where they will work alongside the District’s highly skilled and experienced medical staff.
Interns are medical graduates who have completed their medical degree and are required to complete a supervised year of practice in order to gain general registration.
The new doctors starting their internship will be entering a training program with networked hospitals throughout the state, providing formal and on-the-job training.
They receive two-year contracts to rotate between metropolitan, regional and rural hospitals to ensure the diversity of their experience.
New Coffs Harbour Health Campus medical intern Tammy Middleton said she is excited about providing care to local patients and much needed support to the region’s hardworking health staff.
“I’ve always been a country girl. I grew up in Coffs Harbour and studied in Orange and on the Mid North Coast. I’m looking forward to starting my career back home, close to my family and my community,” Dr Middleton said.
“I got into medicine because I just wanted to make a difference somewhere and to someone. I’ve gone through personal experiences with my family having to travel for healthcare, and I wanted to be part of the solution.”
“If you already have your grass roots in the country then I think you are more inclined to continue going back to those communities to provide healthcare.”
The interns also rotate across different specialties during the intern year, including surgery, medicine and emergency medicine.
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the 25 medical graduate interns who have chosen to pursue a rewarding career within Mid North Coast Local Health District,” said MNCLHD Chief Executive Jill Wong.
“These junior doctors will play a critical role in supporting the Mid North Coast community and I wish them the very best as they embark on this exciting next step in their careers.
“We hope that working in regional healthcare in the early stages of their careers inspires them to continue to work in rural, regional and remote areas in the future.”