• A welcome event for health professional students in Dubbo and surrounding areas
• This event facilitates connecting and networking with other students and clinicians whilst offering support for students during their work placement in health care facilities
• The CSU Three Rivers UDRH is an initiative which aims to improve the recruitment and retention of medical, dental, nursing, and allied health professionals in rural and regional Australia

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) Three Rivers University Department of Rural Health (UDRH), and Dubbo Regional Council are co-hosting an evening welcome to health professional students in a range of disciplines in Dubbo and the surrounding areas on Tuesday 9 April.

The welcome event is from 5.30pm to 7.30pm in the courtyard of CSU in Dubbo.

Lecturer in rural health in Three Rivers UDRH in Dubbo Ms Cathy Maginnis said, “The healthcare workforce is a primary area of concern in our region, with universities and government agencies working hard to ensure there are adequate training positions and opportunities for students to experience living and working ‘in the bush’.

“The Charles Sturt University Three Rivers UDRH is one such initiative which aims to support students to live, study and work in regional and rural Australia.

“We want to encourage students to undertake a rural health placement, have a great experience, return to do further rural work placements, and then to decide to seek employment in our rural communities as a registered health professional.”

The Rural Health Education arm of Three Rivers UDRH comprises a team of clinical educators who work towards:

• increasing effective rural training experiences (placements) for health students;
• ensuring these experiences are of a high quality;
• engaging with the community to support the delivery of training to health students; and
• providing regional leadership in developing innovative training solutions to address rural workforce recruitment and retention.

In the Dubbo footprint this encompasses Baradine, Coonabarabran, Coolah, Dunedoo, Gilgandra, Warren, Trangie, Narromine, Wellington, Gulargambone, Peak Hill, Trundle, Tottenham, and Tullamore.

“We invite health profession students and clinicians who supervise and facilitate students to join us at this event to hear our guest speaker Ms Camilla Kenny, and to share their experiences and stories with students,” Ms Maginnis said.

“This will be a great opportunity for students and clinicians to network and socialise.”

Ms Camilla Kenny, Rural Mental Health Coordinator, Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) will speak at the event about the support services available for clinicians and students, as well as ways to support clients in rural areas experiencing the ongoing drought and accompanying hardship.

This is a free event, with refreshments provided, and lucky door prizes will be on offer. Please register and RSVP for catering purposes. Visit the Three Rivers UDRH website for the online registration link: https://threerivers.csu.edu.au/news-and-events/events