The diversity of practice, working with other clinicians, and testing her problem-solving skills are just some of the career benefits Emma Campbell has discovered while working in rural WA.
Relocating to Karratha from Mandurah in early 2024 (and originally hailing from Scotland), Emma has found new purpose as the sole full-time podiatrist in West Pilbara.
“Working in the Pilbara has changed my perspective on podiatry, especially within the remote communities,” Emma said.
“In just six months, I’ve seen more foot issues than in my past seven years as a podiatrist.
“I work with such a diversity of age groups, types of conditions and cultural backgrounds. “It’s made me realise how much I love working with high-risk patients, different cultures, and within a multidisciplinary team. “I enjoy liaising with nurses, collaborating within a bigger team and I’d love to continue working remotely.”
Emma said her experience in Karratha had expanded her perspective on podiatry and taught her to adapt her approach to the often-limited resources available in remote settings. “I’ve learned that you just have to work with what you’ve got. “You don’t always have all the tools and fancy dressings, but you just do your best and hope to make a small difference. “It’s also about building rapport with patients, making sure they feel comfortable coming to you again for help.”
One of the key challenges Emma has faced is the logistical difficulty of treating patients across a vast geographic area with limited local healthcare resources.
“Being the only one that services a huge area makes it challenging to coordinate with other healthcare professionals to help manage chronic cases,” she said.
“I visit some communities only every couple of months, and linking up with others for things like diagnostics requires many emails and coordination. “Everyone does their best, but each patient has unique needs and circumstances to consider.”
She added being in regional WA, she had also gained an understanding of the healthcare infrastructure in rural Australia and had developed creative solutions to improve patient outcomes despite the challenges. “Working in the Pilbara has influenced my understanding of rural healthcare,” she said.
“It’s challenging, and you have to be creative, but things can be done — just not as quickly as in metro areas. “Technology helps a lot here, too. Video calls and virtual meetings are widely used to access information and collaborate.”
The experience of working remotely has reignited Emma’s passion for podiatry, exposing her to cases she might never have encountered in the city.
“I think there’s a lot of knowledge I still need to gain to progress my career, and working remotely offers me that and more.”
Rural Health West’s Health Workforce Scholarship Program has been a vital support system for Emma. “The program has helped me attend events in the city and work on my professional development, which directly benefits my community here,” she said.
“For rural practitioners, access to support like this is so important; otherwise, it could feel very isolating. “With few CPD events held in remote areas, it’s great to have this kind of funding to attend in-person training.”
Looking ahead, Emma hopes to continue building her knowledge in high-risk foot care, with a focus on wound management — a common issue she has found in rural areas. “Wounds are unfortunately common here, and I’d like to keep expanding my knowledge in that area,” she said.
“In the future, I’m also open to working elsewhere remotely, maybe in Darwin or doing stints in Arnhem Land. “This experience has been eye-opening, and I’m grateful I took the plunge out of my comfort zone.”
Applications for Round 16 of the Health Workforce Scholarship Program open in February 2025. The Health Workforce Scholarship Program (HWSP) is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, administered in Western Australia (WA) by Rural Health West. The HWSP provides scholarships and bursaries to help health professionals in rural and remote Australia retain and enhance their skills, capacity and scope of practice. For more information visit: ruralhealthwest.com.au/hwsp