Rural Placement: A Transformative Learning Experience For Students

by Sam Nash

Importance of Students Participating in Rural Placements, Observations, and Internships

Learning in a new environment, such as at the Country Week tennis competition in Swan Hill, was an experience like no other. The opportunity to work outside of the student clinic created a chance to learn from experienced osteopaths in a completely different setting. The two days I spent in Swan Hill were incredibly rewarding and have made a significant impact on my osteopathic career.

Firstly, I transitioned from treating clients in a clinical setting to treating on-site at the tennis competition. This was a fantastic experience as I gained insight into dealing with acute patients straight from the tennis court, presenting with injuries that had occurred less than 20 minutes before seeing me. I had never dealt with acute injuries before, and being able to assess a person’s injury in real-time was very interesting and a great learning opportunity.

Additionally, being in Swan Hill allowed us to learn from osteopaths who have treated a very different patient base compared to those in Melbourne. Having the chance to ask questions and gain insights from practitioners who see a wide array of patients was invaluable. Personally, it made me excited to pursue an internship in the country to gain more experience and see a diverse group of patients.

If there is an opportunity to participate in rural placements or even observations at a clinic, I could not recommend it highly enough. It is not only a fun and rewarding experience, but it is also a great opportunity to learn and develop new skills from different practitioners.

A big thanks to Louise and the team at Central Mallee Health for having us. It was an amazing couple of days, and an experience I will never forget.