Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway

Transcript for video of 'The rural generalist: Obstetrics'

[Text on screen] The Rural Generalist: Obstetrics

Dr Alex Baggot: I chose obstetrics because I thought there was a need for it to be honest. 50% of the population are female and a lot of them go on to have children and I thought to be a good country doctor you really had to have a good grasp of women's health.

Georgina Crothers: The boys being identical twins we weren't able to have them in St George. They were a high-risk pregnancy so we

had to go to Toowoomba. We had to drive 4 hours for all of our appointments and checkups and everything. Then when we had Digby, with our family, we decided to stay here. Being able to access the resources here was a lot easier on us. The whole pregnancy was a lot less stressful. A lot less stressful yeah.

Dr Adam Coltzau: Women in rural queensland really deserve to be able to deliver their baby at home. They need to have caring, compassionate doctors that are prepared to do that sort of work and the work is really rewarding work. Delivering babies is the one of the most satisfying parts of working in a rural country town.

Dr Josie Pearson: I think what gives me goosebumps is seeing a family unit become whole. That new addition and that entry into life is a very precious time and to be able to be there and support women and their families safely through that time and witnessing those first smiles and the first cry. That time together as a family is very special and something that we are very privileged to be able to, you know, be part of.

Dr Ashleigh Walker: The difference between delivering a baby in a larger hospital and a rural hospital is our relationship with that woman and that family doesn't end at the delivery. You get the benefit of being able to follow that baby as it develops into a small human.

Dr Josie Pearson: You get to make real bonds with families. There are multiple families where I've delivered not one but maybe two of their children. You see them as they start to go to school. It can be exciting I guess to be part of that obstetric journey.

Dr Ashleigh Walker: The nature of obstetrics can be high stakes. Sometimes things do go wrong and sometimes that can be a bit daunting for junior doctors but we do have support of your local colleagues but we also have services like the flying gynecologist that can come and give us a hand when we need them.

Dr Alex Baggot: I found that my training definitely prepared me to be a safe and competent practitioner in the bush. 12 months is definitely enough to achieve that and I found that coming out here I definitely felt well prepared for the job that I do.

Dr Josie Pearson: I think we have a fantastic set up here in St George. We've got a close-knit medical team and I think that's really important. At the end of the day if you've got a good team surrounding you and you feel supported, I think you can nearly overcome any of those challenges.

Dr Ashleigh Walker: Being part of the small community you know your patients and you see them out and about so when you're going to park run, going along the river, you run into people and can have a bit of small talk, have a bit of a smile and it's a nice feeling to feel part of that fabric.

Dr Alex Baggot: I find working in small towns is great for people with young families because you live so close to home from work that you can simply pop home for lunch and catch up with your partner or your kids.

Dr Josie Pearson: I would 100 recommend rural obstetric training to junior doctors if you want a challenging, dynamic and rewarding career, there's no better option.

Dr Adam Coltzau: Obstetrics is one of the most useful skills you can have. If you're thinking of doing obstetrics as part of your rural career, come out and have a visit. Come out and see what the community is like. We'll have an attractive lifestyle and a really rewarding career.

Dr Alex Baggot: Having a child is a very special occasion for anyone as an individual and as a family, and to be that person to help achieve that in a safe and familiar environment is an absolute pleasure.

Text on screen: To find out more about a Rural Generalist career, visit health.qld.gov.au/ruralgeneralist

Text on screen: The Rural Generalist Pathway wishes to thank the individuals who have contributed to the production of this film, including the people and health service professional of St George.

End of transcript