Best Monash Rural Health Podcasts (2026)

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Improving patient discharge… and writing good discharge summaries 29:10

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8M ago29:10

29:10

Writing discharge summaries might not be the most exciting part of the job, but it's certainly a very important one. It's a critical piece in the transfer of care from hospital to the GP or other health service. In this episode, you'll hear about how to write a good discharge summary from the perspective of an intern who regularly writes them, as …

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Opening your mind to a non-linear career journey - Dr Bridget Clancy 35:48

8M ago35:48

35:48

How much can you plan your medical career in advance? Dr Bridget Clancy is an ear nose and throat surgeon who's cared for more than 24,000 patients over the past 20 years. On paper, you'd look at her career and assume she must have strategically planned it out. But in this conversation, she reveals that that's not the case at all. Dr Clancy left me…

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Prioritising your mental health from the junior to the senior years of medical school. 26:56

8M ago26:56

26:56

Dr. Belinda Bell is a GP based in south-west Victoria, who vividly remembers breaking down into tears for apparently no reason, while sitting in a crowded lecture theatre as a young medical student. She's very open about her past mental health challenges, including during her student and registrar years. Belinda says she learned the hard way about …

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Starting Out as a Rural Generalist 38:58

8M ago38:58

38:58

What makes a medical student or intern want to become a rural generalist? And what does that journey look like? A rural generalist is a doctor who provides healthcare to regional, rural or remote communities. They are trained in primary care, emergency medicine and an advanced skill to meet the health needs of their rural community. This is in one…

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Dealing with Exam Stress as a Medical Student 23:13

8M ago23:13

23:13

Medicine is consistently rated as one of the most popular courses to study at university. However it is also ranked as one of the hardest. Students probably feel this the most at exam time. In this episode we speak to Brie Allman, a final year medicine student at Monash University, to reflect back on her degree and how she coped with exam nerves. B…

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Parenting and Being a Doctor 28:33

9M ago28:33

28:33

Is there a “right time” to have kids, when you have a career in medicine? Perhaps that’s not the right question. Instead, in this episode, two rural doctors speak about the “right way” to think about making decisions about family and career. Guests: Dr Holly Atkinson- General Physician and Director of General Medicine at West Gippsland Healthcare …

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Taking the stress out of writing death certificates and reporting to the coroner 26:55

9M ago26:55

26:55

Many rural doctors feel uneasy about the medico-legal aspect of their job when they’re an intern. But while it is natural to feel uneasy, there is plenty of support available from senior doctors, nurses and administration staff. While the media often focuses on ‘suspicious’ deaths, relating to homicide, that only makes up less than 2% of all the ca…

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Life as a rural GP... and how to make the most of your placements 31:11

9M ago31:11

31:11

Being a rural GP, means being a key part of the community. It also provides you with great flexibility to balance the life you have outside of medicine. In this episode, we have two contrasting stories; from Dr Tom Kefford, who became a GP to return to his hometown, to Dr Kingsley Rajasingham, a GP who moved to Gippsland 30 years ago, not knowing a…

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How does medical school compare with your intern years? 28:56

9M ago28:56

28:56

The transition from medical school to becoming an actual doctor can often be exciting and a little daunting. Dr David McAlpine and Dr Reem Alameri are both medical interns in the Gippsland Rural Intern Training program, run through Latrobe Regional Health in Gippsland. However their journeys to get to their internships are very different, as well a…

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The intern match process has changed. This is how it will look in 2025 and beyond. 19:15

10M ago19:15

19:15

The first year when you can actually call yourself a doctor is obviously very important in a medical student’s career. However, the application process for where you will start your prevocational years has previously been opaque and sometimes confusing. After a significant review to make the process fairer, the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victo…

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Australia’s Growing Indigenous Medical Workforce 34:05

1+ y ago34:05

34:05

There’s a growing number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors in Australia, but like a lot of things in Indigenous Health, this workforce is a lot smaller than it should be. As we’ve explored in previous episodes on cultural safety and other aspects of Indigenous Health, the importance of culturally safe healthcare and being treated by …

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The Bonded Medical Program 34:30

1+ y ago34:30

34:30

If you’re at the start of your journey into medicine, you might be considering the Bonded Medical Program - it’s a Government initiative to help address the shortage of medical professionals in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia. In this episode you’ll hear doctors who have gone through this program talk about their experience with it an…

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The New AMC Prevocational Framework 28:42

1+ y ago28:42

28:42

There have been some major changes made to prevocational training with a new two year framework for PGY1 (interns) and PGY2 trainees. In this episode you'll hear from people involved in these changes from the top down. You can find out more about the AMC Prevocational Framework by heading to amc.org.au/framework For more information about the study…

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Making the Most of Moving to New Communities 29:15

1+ y ago29:15

29:15

A career in rural medicine can involve moving to different towns and cities to complete parts of your training, so mastering the art of moving can really help make your overall experience much more enjoyable. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to https://monash.edu/medicine/rural-health Th…

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The John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program 18:29

2y ago18:29

18:29

In 2021 the John Flynn Placement Program for medical students ended, and in its place came the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program for PGY1 to PGY5 junior doctors. In this episode you’ll hear from people directly involved in the new program, and what it is doing to develop the skills of rural and regional trainees. The Victorian Rural Generalis…

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Learning Cultural Safety with the Joint Colleges Training Services 29:41

2y ago29:41

29:41

In this episode we're taking a closer look at one of the ways doctors are getting to know more about cultural safety in Indigenous Health, the Joint Colleges Training Services The JCTS is a joint venture of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, delivering shared GP training ac…

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The Victorian Rural Generalist Program 34:20

2y ago34:20

34:20

The VRGP is a statewide end-to-end training program that allows future rural generalists to train, work and live in rural and regional Victoria. And one of the great benefits to this program is the support and guidance on offer for anyone looking at becoming a Rural Generalist in Victoria. You can find out more about the VRGP, or get in contact wit…

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Scholarly Intensive Placements at Monash Rural Health 17:15

2y ago17:15

17:15

As part of their studies at Monash Rural Health, all medical students complete a six-week Scholarly Intensive Placement during their final year. These placements allow you to focus on a particular medical or professional practice issue in-depth, by taking part in scholarly activities, such as analysing relevant literature, collecting data, reviewin…

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Research 101: Fundamentals to Get You Started 27:25

2y ago27:25

27:25

There's so much to learn before you even start your first research project. In this episode we'll cover some fundamentals of research to get you started. Hear from researchers about what it takes to get started in research with fundamentals like ethics applications, and methodologies. For more information about the study and training opportunities …

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What Should You Know Starting Your Internship? 26:23

2y ago26:23

26:23

If you're finishing medical school and heading towards your Internship, we've made this episode just for you! To help start this exciting phase of your career, we sat down with four junior doctors in the GRIT program - Gippsland Rural Intern Training at LRH, Latrobe Regional Health in Gippsland - to reflect, tell stories and hear about lessons lear…

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RACGP or ACRRM: Which GP College is Right For You? 37:04

2+ y ago37:04

37:04

So you're thinking about becoming a GP, or perhaps even taking it to the next level and becoming a Rural Generalist. Well there's a lot of exciting things happening with this specialty right now. The return to College-led training, Rural Generalists potentially becoming a protected title, and lots more new things to look forward to. If you're think…

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Wearing Two Hats: Combining Parenthood and Medicine 23:53

2+ y ago23:53

23:53

Juggling a career in medicine and raising kids is tough, but it can be done! In this episode you'll hear from parents who have had children at all different stages of their journey through medicine, from medical school all the way to fellowship exams. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to …

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Cultural Safety in Indigenous Health 25:51

2+ y ago25:51

25:51

Learning about cultural safety is the best way to help address the poorer health outcomes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face. Hear from New Zealand first nations speaker Abe Ropitini from VACCHO, as well as a GP working in Indigenous Health in Bendigo about how this simple, yet effective element of practicing medicine can help build …

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5 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Medical Conferences 16:29

2+ y ago16:29

16:29

You've probably heard of medical conferences, and maybe attended some. In this episode we're going to show you five ways conferences can be incredibly useful at any stage in your career, as well as how to get the most out of these events. For more information about the study and training opportunities across regional Victoria, head to https://monas…

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Exploring Your Adventure in Rural Medicine 14:00

2+ y ago14:00

14:00

At first glance, adventure sounds like something that shouldn't be a part of healthcare. But it's a key part of practicing medicine and probably something that drives you to pursue this career too. Whether it's getting hands-on and learning new medical techniques or working with limited resources to treat patients, your adventure in rural medicine …

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The Challenges of Burnout, Work Life Balance and Self-Care in Rural Medicine 22:43

2+ y ago22:43

22:43

Talking about these issues as a doctor can be really tough. In this episode we explore some of the available support services, and hear from a doctor who has experienced mental health issues, sought assistance and found they're better off now. Contact the Victorian Doctors Health Program on 1300 330 543 or visit their website: https://vdhp.org.au/ …

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International Medical Students and Trainees Finding a Home in Regional Victoria 18:26

2+ y ago18:26

18:26

Australia's universities are a really attractive place for international students to receive an excellent education, and that includes our medical schools and training pathways. This episode's guests are training to become doctors in regional Victoria and the experience they've had along the way has exceeded their expectations. For more information…

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Why I Chose A Rural Internship 19:52

2+ y ago19:52

19:52

There's a lot you can do to develop hands-on skills early on in your training journey with a clinical placement in a rural setting, then developing these early career skills further through internship. Hear how these junior doctors developed these skills, as well as a passion for rural medicine in the latest episode of Doctor What? Doctor Where? St…

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Rural Trainees share their College Entry Success Stories, Part 2 43:39

2+ y ago43:39

43:39

Every specialist pathway is different, and in this double bumper episode you'll hear from doctors training and working regionally about how they successfully achieved entry to the college training program of their choice, and how they knew this was the specialty for them! These speakers were recorded at a careers night organised by members of the B…

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Rural Trainees share their College Entry Success Stories, Part 1 1:04:20

2+ y ago1:04:20

1:04:20

Every specialist pathway is different, and in this double bumper episode you'll hear from doctors training and working regionally about how they successfully achieved entry to the college training program of their choice, and how they knew this was the specialty for them! These speakers were recorded at a careers night organised by members of the B…

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Dr JuMP: Medical mentoring at all levels in regional Victoria 20:42

3y ago20:42

20:42

Dr JuMP is a free coordinated medical mentoring program designed to support Medical Students, Junior Doctors and Registrars in regional Victoria. Whether you're an established practitioner or just starting out, this program is helping regional medical professionals to connect and grow. Find out more at https://www.drjump.com.au/ For more informatio…

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DRIVERS Conference: Building a Platform for Early Career Research 15:21

3+ y ago15:21

15:21

Monash Rural Health's DRIVERS Conference is an ideal opportunity to present research at the beginning of your career. Get a taste of what to expect at this year's DRIVERS conference by hearing from the Co-Chair of the Scientific Committee from this year's conference, as well as how the conference has built on the legacy of the inaugural conference …

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Presenting Research at DRIVERS 16:42

3+ y ago16:42

16:42

Monash Rural Health's DRIVERS conference is an ideal opportunity to present research at the beginning of your career. Get a taste of what to expect at this year's DRIVERS conference by hearing from early career doctors who presented at the inaugural conference in 2021. DRIVERS 2022 is happening on Saturday 22 October! Tickets are available now, hea…

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Rural Health Leadership from the Start with the Emerging Leader Program 11:51

3+ y ago11:51

11:51

We've heard from doctors all over regional Victoria that training and practicing in rural health lets them get more hands-on experience. Combining that with AMA Victoria's Emerging Leader Program is a brilliant combination to establish your early career. That's what Dr Thang Dao is doing as an Intern at Latrobe Regional Hospital who has just wrappe…

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Build Great Professional Skills with the Emerging Leader Program 15:00

3+ y ago15:00

15:00

AMA Victoria's Emerging Leader Program is a great way to advance your career. Right from the beginning, the skills this program develops not only leadership skills like the name suggests, but also a whole range of professional skills to give your career an excellent foundation. This episode's guest Dr Ruby Marslen completed the Emerging Leader Prog…

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How to Get Involved in Quality Improvement 14:00

3+ y ago14:00

14:00

Quality Improvement is a great way to take your career to a new level, but it might seem daunting. Large scale projects in this field can take up to a decade to complete, so it's easy to set it aside for a later point in your career when you're more established. You might be surprised how easy it can be to get involved in established quality and im…

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Rural Recreation and Adventures 19:52

3+ y ago19:52

19:52

Having a fantastic experience working and training in medicine in regional Victoria is really important, but you might have some hesitation about the lifestyle aspects of living in a regional city or rural town. The range of interests you can pursue in regional Victoria are far beyond anything you can do in a metro city. From snowsports in the stat…

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Medical Students Working in Aged Care 16:42

3+ y ago16:42

16:42

Gathering hands-on experience while studying can be an enormous challenge, so you might be surprised to learn how easy this can be when working as a Personal Care Assistant in Aged Care. Hear how easy it can be to start working in these roles while studying medicine from Deakin University Medical Student Cathy King, as well as Monash Rural Health R…

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The Benefits of Near Peer Mentoring 16:30

3+ y ago16:30

16:30

Making the jump from medical school into your early years as a doctor can seem pretty daunting, and there's so many things to learn along the way. Learning from classmates and colleagues a year or two ahead of your journey can be a brilliant way to prepare for this next step, and in this episode Dr Katie Blunt talks about her experience with a near…

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Building Your Brand in Your Early Career 15:45

4y ago15:45

15:45

It's never too early to start building a brand for yourself as a doctor. Whether it simply gives you an edge in applying for a job, or you're wanting to be a leading public voice in your area of medicine, it's an aspect of any profession which can be incredibly powerful if done correctly. Monash Rural Health Communications Manager Stephanie Swain d…

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3 resources to help forge your pathway to practice in the regions 16:53

4y ago16:53

16:53

Medical training pathways can be a significant challenge to develop, particularly when you're trying to build experience within an area of medicine you're interested in, or you're trying to follow a specialist pathway in the regions. In this episode, Head of School of Rural Health at Monash University Professor Shane Bullock outlines some of the re…

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Rural Health in Practice 36:41

5y ago36:41

36:41

In this episode we're providing an in-depth look at East Grampians Health Service which serves an area of Victoria centred around Ararat, a town of about 10,000 people and one of the gateways to the Grampians. It's a good example of Rural Health in Practice - highlighting the training opportunities and the career possibilities in regional health se…

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From City to South West Coast 29:17

5y ago29:17

29:17

The Great Ocean Road and the coastal towns beyond are major drawcards for the South West. Millions of people each year flock to the region, causing these coastal communities swelling in size over summer. The doctors featured in this episode have all made the sea change to the South West coast, moving from inland rural towns and metropolitan cities …

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Rural Roundtable 39:53

5y ago39:53

39:53

The years after medical school are filled with formative moments as you learn skills, encounter unexpected joys and challenges while continuing your training. Hear what junior doctors are saying about their journey in medicine as they navigate training in regional Victoria in this episode of Doctor What? Doctor Where? Stories of Rural Medicine. Wan…

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A Country Climb 27:08

5y ago27:08

27:08

Dr Fariha Islam made headlines when she moved to Horsham. As the Wimmera's first Neurologist, the community and health service welcomed her with open arms. Together with her partner Dr David Hunchak, they have found a rich lifestyle in Horsham. With the Grampians on their doorstep and a friendly community, the tree change has provided a wonderful e…

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From Hay Bales to Hectic ED 36:32

5y ago36:32

36:32

Dr Pauline Chapman is the Clinical Director of Emergency at Ballarat Health Services. Her career journey began in the heartland of the Wimmera on a farm filled with sheep. In this episode of Doctor What? Doctor Where? We look at how Dr Chapman went from Hay Bales to a Hectic ED. Want to study medicine in western Victoria? Find out more here: https:…

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Junior Doctors Talk Shop 23:13

5y ago23:13

23:13

Have you ever wondered what it's like to start out as a doctor? the highlights, lowlights, challenges and unexpected things along this journey - all the things you'll experience as you're starting your medical career. This episode of Doctor What? Doctor Where? features a group of junior doctors currently training in Bendigo, talking about all the d…

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General Practice and Rural Generalism 34:07

5y ago34:07

34:07

General Practice can take can take you anywhere. Whether you're looking at becoming a GP, Rural Generalist or Advanced Skills GP, there's something for everyone within this field. In regional Victoria you'll find opportunities to practice everywhere from remote towns of 1,000 people or less to the largest regional cities. Find out more about studyi…

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Rural Physicians 31:00

5+ y ago31:00

31:00

Physician pathways are some of the most varied and diverse of any within the medical field, and the peak of this diversity can be found in the regions. Each of this episode's guests have come from different backgrounds and cultures, and are all working in West Gippsland right now. Find out more about studying at Monash Rural Health here: https://ww…

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Rural Surgery 34:04

5+ y ago34:04

34:04

In this episode you'll hear from doctors working within the surgical field across Victoria. You can study and train to be a surgeon entirely in regional Victoria, so no matter where you are in your career there's opportunities from medical school to advanced trainee placements and beyond. Find out more about studying at Monash Rural Health here: ht…