I wasn’t interested in sitting in a consulting room in private practice, seeing one patient after the other. I wanted to go out bush, to meet people living out there, and to deliver health services where it’s really needed.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to enhance your skills, especially as you don’t feel like you have to refer everything on. And realistically, out here you can’t. It gives you more confidence when treating patients, and that translates into you becoming a better doctor overall.

Working in the country, I also have the privilege of a wide variety of cases to manage and coordinate simply because the access to subspecialties is more restricted - but have found my medical peers incredibly supportive and always happy to answer calls from a country GP seeking support.

In a rural practice you get a broad experience; a lot more exposure to a variety of clinical situations and that really does prepare you well for the exams. You see a lot more in a short amount of time.

There are endless opportunities working in rural general practice. You can be a medical educator, have your own practice, you can be a part of the community in different ways – and that’s what I’m looking forward to.

I like the fact that I care for patients with more challenging needs, particularly when it comes to mental health, sexual health, women’s reproductive choices and palliative care because there are gaps in the services offered locally.

I needed the independence and to take control over my career so that I could fulfil my desires within and outside medicine.