Unbeatable Northern Hospitality

It might seem like the Northwest mining town of Mount Isa is in the "middle of nowhere", but the experience it offers is far from isolating. For the doctors who head there, they are embraced with a warm welcome, a supportive and passionate workforce, and a vibrant social scene.

Junior doctor Dr Georgia Bulley had her sights on a career as a rural doctor before she had even graduated from JCU in 2021. After an extended placement on Thursday Island, Dr Bulley wanted to find a rural experience for internship to hone her clinical skills. So, she headed to Mount Isa, and outside of a short stint in Cairns, has been there ever since.

Dr Bulley says the hands-on training and scope of practice is a major drawcard, not only for her own development as a doctor but also for the fulfilment she receives from her work.

“The cases you see in this region are completely different to what you would see in the city. You see significant complications from conditions like diabetes or hypertension, melioidosis, and tropical diseases that you just do not get down south.”

“We come into medicine to help people, and I definitely feel like in these rural hospitals, that's where you make the biggest change and the greatest influence on a community.”

The North West Hospital and Health Service offers internships on the Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway (QRGP). The hospital provides interns with rotations in medicine, emergency, surgery, paediatrics and OBGYN, which Dr Bulley says is difficult to get into during internship.

“The consultants here know the region and have been here for so many years. Being close to your supervisor, and receiving mentoring, you see the immense dedication they put into the community, and it equips and inspires you to become a better doctor.”

As Dr Bulley has found, training in Mount Isa provides plenty of career advancement opportunities.

“A lot of doctors have done extensive research out here or been heads of medical groups. There are a lot of options available for career advancement out here; the doctors are very happy to give you career advice, be a reference, or make use of their contacts.”

Dr Bulley is now commencing training as a rural generalist through the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). She will continue at Mount Isa Hospital as a Medical Principal House Officer (PHO), while working across both an acute and outpatient setting.

From a social perspective, Dr Bulley says there was a persisting stigma that she would be ‘wasting her younger years’ in a rural community that offered nothing in terms of lifestyle or entertainment.

“I was told I would be bored in Mount Isa, which has not been true at all! There might not be the ‘city nightlife', but there is a big focus on team sports and events like the races and rodeo. There are many social opportunities to meet and mix with new people each week.

“I’ve always found it so easy to move into these rural places; you feel so welcomed, you’re really making a difference, and you develop lifelong friends,” Dr Bulley says.