2022 will be a big year for RCSWA-Narrogin medical student Philip Cavanagh who, in addition to undertaking rural clinical school, also welcomed a new arrival!
Phil and wife Jessica relocated to Narrogin in November to settle in before bub made an appearance on December 30.
Phil came to medicine having worked as a paramedic across rural Queensland for seven years.
“When applying for medical school I had a few criteria. As I already had a young family, it was important to live within 10 minutes of university in an affordable area and the course needed to have a rural focus.
“Jess grew up in Mount Isa, and although I was raised in Brisbane, I worked as a paramedic in towns such as Bundaberg, Bargara and Agnes Water, so living and working rurally is something we both wanted to pursue.
“The University of Notre Dame Australia in Fremantle was the best fit so we packed up and headed across the country when our son was just three months old.”
With a rural medicine end point in mind, Phil always intended to apply for RCSWA, but it was his experiences in the Wheatbelt towns of Corrigin (through the Wheatbelt Medical School Immersion Program) and Narrogin (through the Wheatbelt Weekend Immersion Program) that saw him choose the latter as home for 2022.
“The rural immersions provided a chance for me to see what these small Wheatbelt towns were all about.
“Initially, I listed Bunbury as my first choice for rural clinical school. Then we took a trip to Narrogin one weekend in 2021 and I moved it to be my first preference as it offers the family and community life that we’re seeking.”
“It has everything we could need. Our daughter will start school here in January, Dryandra is a wonderful place to visit with kids and the recreation centre with the pool provides plenty for us as a family. It definitely has all the things we’re chasing in a community.”
For himself, Phil is looking forward to the clinical diversity offered by a small town with medical services built on the GP proceduralist model.
“You need to switch your headspace a bit about the type of medicine that you will experience as there are no rotations. Instead, you’re everything to everyone and you’ve got to adapt to whatever
comes in the door.”
Although Narrogin does not yet cater for final year medical students, Phil hopes to remain rural in 2023.
“I’m open to most places really. After moving 4,500kms to Perth any other move will be a short trip by comparison!
“We are going to visit Albany as that may be an option and we will also try to get to Kalgoorlie as I believe the final year program will be available there in 2023.