Rural student placement program celebrates a decade of impact
- Blog posts - A decade of impact
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Going Rural Health, an innovative program run by the University of Melbourne’s Department of Rural Health, is celebrating its 10-year milestone in 2025.
The program helps support domestic students in nursing, allied health and psychology placements in rural settings with the view to entice students to work rurally once qualified.
Funded through the federal government’s Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training program, students studying nursing, psychology and allied health in the Ballarat, Grampians, Greater Shepparton and Hume regions can apply for a rural placement.
In the 10 years since Going Rural Health began, more than 10,000 students have been supported and over 50,000 weeks of placement were supported.
Director of the University Department of Rural Health, Professor Lisa Bourke, said rural placements encourage students to re-think rural practice and they get to see teamwork, collaboration, connection with patients, and innovative ways of working in rural health services in action.
“We wanted to invite students from recognised universities and identified disciplines to contribute to healthcare in our regions so we set up a range of supports including accommodation, financial support for students, and innovative models of education,” Professor Bourke said.
“Going Rural Health also developed a range of education supports to help students through their placement and become work ready. It really is the whole package of student support.”
Professor Bourke said the program is, by its nature, collaborative, supporting students from various universities to find placements with regional healthcare providers and in rural communities.
“Going Rural Health has developed some very innovative models of student placements over the 10 years,” Professor Bourke said.
“Students on placement have increased literacy levels and emotional intelligence of primary students. They have decreased waiting lists, diagnosed conditions for some patients and provided care in schools, aged care services and in community settings.
“Students truly get to see and feel their impact.”
Federation University nursing student Albert Boban undertook a placement in Beaufort and said the rural setting provided a unique opportunity to develop skills.
“From my experience, a rural placement offers a more personal, hands-on approach to patient care, fostering closer relationships with patients and a supportive community environment,” Albert said.
“I accessed accommodation support and professional development resources from Going Rural Health, which significantly eased the transition into the rural setting.
“The accommodation support reduced financial stress, while the professional resources provided valuable learning opportunities, helping me build confidence in my clinical skills and better adapt to the unique challenges of rural healthcare.”
Going Rural Health is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program.