BEACHPORT has made a favourable impression on visiting trainee doctor Alice Grimshaw.
Her work placements have recently come to an end at Beachport Medical Services and she has returned to her studies in Sydney.
Ms Grimshaw has started her sixth and final year at the University of New South Wales.
She is expected to graduate at the end of 2020 with the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and will be known as “Dr Grimshaw”.
After graduation, Ms Grimshaw will undertake a further four years of postgraduate training and study in order to secure the coveted Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
Ms Grimshaw has returned to the capital city with the goodwill of the Beachport-based doctors, nurses and support staff.
Patients appreciated the warm, engaging and thorough bedside manner of Ms Grimshaw as she worked closely alongside senior GP Dr Pauline Wachtel.
“Pauline was a fantastic mentor,” Ms Grimshaw said.
Dr Wachtel praised the 23-year-old trainee as amazing.
“How do we get her back here to practise medicine?” she said.
“Alice was also happy to add to her experiences by spending time at the Millicent and District Hospital.
“She observed the work of registered nurse Jackie McBride and visiting surgeon Dr Bill McLeay.”
Millicent and District Hospital and Health Service executive officer and director of nursing Michelle de Wit said Ms Grimshaw was a proactive and committed medical student.
“We thank her for her time with us,” Ms de Wit said.
“Millicent and District Hospital welcomes and supports a range of health care students and we were pleased to be able to support Alice within the facility, in theatre and the ward.”
Originally from Victoria, the presence of Ms Grimshaw at Beachport was made possible by the John Flynn Placement Program.
Named for the late founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, it is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and is designed to attract the future medical workforce into a remote and rural career.
The program provides 300 undergraduate medical students the opportunity to experience clinical practice and lifestyle in remote and rural locations across Australia.
Successful eligible applicants spend eight weeks over three to four years in a remote or rural community with a one-to-one professional mentor, host and community contact.
