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As a medical student at The University of Melbourne, ACRRM student member Jasmine Davis is well on her way to building a rewarding career in rural generalism. Holding a position on ACRRM's Future Gens Committee, and recently appointed as the President of AMSA (Australian Medical Students' Association) for 2022, Jasmine is blazing a trail as a strong advocate for medical students around Australia, and health equity in rural and remote communities.
ACRRM recently caught up with Jasmine to ask her a few questions about her life as a medical student, and to find out a little more about how she is travelling on her path to becoming a Rural Generalist (RG).
Tell us a bit about yourself and your medical career so far.
I'm a medical student at The University of Melbourne. I’m studying a combined Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health and previously completed a Bachelor of Biomedicine. When I’m not studying, I spend a lot of my time reading books, going to the gym, and travelling around regional Victoria (when we aren’t in lockdown). My true passions are rural and public health advocacy and working with passionate students to make meaningful change.
What are some things you might normally do in your day-to-day work and study life?
This year I am focused on completing my Master of Public Health. I’ve been lucky to study lots of interesting topics such as health economics, health policy, Indigenous health, and health promotion. I’ve also been completing research in women's health which has taken up some of my time. Alongside this, a large proportion of my time is spent in my role as National Projects Officer for AMSA. In this role I oversee our four major National Projects; Queer, Gender Equity, Mental Health, and the Vampire Cup blood donation drive. I’m lucky enough in this role to oversee these groups' initiatives and contribute to AMSA’s national advocacy priorities.
What made you want to pursue a career in rural medicine?
I grew up in regional Victoria in a lovely beachside town called Ocean Grove. Growing up in this setting really taught me the importance of community and instilled in me a drive to give back to the community which gave me so much. I have been lucky enough to be part of the Melbourne Medical School Rural Clinical School and have completed placements in Shepparton and Echuca. These placements have really opened my eyes to the need for dedicated Rural Generalists and showed me that we have a long way to go in creating a healthcare system and environment in which people are not disadvantaged based on their location.
Why did you choose to become a member of ACRRM?
I first came across ACRRM when I was lucky enough to experience a cultural immersion trip to Kakadu with Northern Territory General Practice Education. There were ACRRM trainees and staff on that trip and I was fascinated by the program. Attending RMA19 on the Gold Coast was the experience that truly opened my eyes to how wonderful ACRRM is. Being able to attend that conference as a Sponsored Student showed me that ACRRM is not only a college, but also a community, and there are so many doctors and students who are invested in future Rural Generalists which has just made me so inspired and welcomed into this community.
What experiences have inspired your RG journey?
In 2020, I undertook the Extended Rural Cohort program and completed a longitudinal GP placement in Echuca. This experience opened my eyes to rural generalism, and I was lucky enough to work with RGs who had been working in this community for 40-plus years. This really drove my passion for rural generalism as I was inspired by their flexibility, ingenuity, and their passion for holistic care. Alongside this, studying a Master of Public Health has really furthered my passion for a career in health advocacy, public policy, and in working towards healthcare system-level changes in order to reduce health inequities in our nation.
What made your time in Echuca so valuable?
The experience of parallel consulting in rural general practice in Echuca has been the highlight of my medical student journey. Being able to see the patients on my own, take a history, and do an examination to hand over to the doctor was truly rewarding. I loved antenatal care in particular and was lucky enough to assist in a few births in the hospital of patients I had seen in the clinic. Being able to follow up the patients over time and see their progress was incredible for my learning and is something I miss in the hospital setting.
You've just been appointed as President of AMSA for 2022. Tell us about your work with AMSA and why you are passionate to represent medical students around the country?
AMSA is the national body that represents Australia’s 17,000 medical students across 23 medical schools. Our mission is to inform, connect, and represent these medical students through advocacy, conferences, and publications. We have over 500 medical students who volunteer with AMSA each year. As President in 2022, I will be responsible for working with the National Executive and the Board to help coordinate these volunteers as well as represent medical student issues on a national level. I am so honoured and thrilled to have been elected for this role, as I am so passionate about ensuring medical students' voices are heard. The medical students around this country inspire me every day, and my time in AMSA so far has been incredibly rewarding. I’m looking forward to giving back to the medical student community and working with our stakeholders to improve medical education as well as the overall health of this nation.
Do you have a dream place you’d like to work as a rural or remote GP?
While I’d love to eventually return to a beachside town such as the one I grew up in, I’d love to spend some time travelling around the country and experiencing the diversity of rural or remote general practice. I see myself hopefully spending some time in our rural Indigenous communities to learn from the oldest culture in the world. I don’t know exactly where my career will take me yet, but I am looking forward to helping reduce the health inequalities that rural and remote Australians face.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your medical career so far.
I'm a medical student at The University of Melbourne. I’m studying a combined Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health and previously completed a Bachelor of Biomedicine. When I’m not studying, I spend a lot of my time reading books, going to the gym, and travelling around regional Victoria (when we aren’t in lockdown). My true passions are rural and public health advocacy and working with passionate students to make meaningful change.
What are some things you might normally do in your day-to-day work and study life?
This year I am focused on completing my Master of Public Health. I’ve been lucky to study lots of interesting topics such as health economics, health policy, Indigenous health, and health promotion. I’ve also been completing research in women's health which has taken up some of my time. Alongside this, a large proportion of my time is spent in my role as National Projects Officer for AMSA. In this role I oversee our four major National Projects; Queer, Gender Equity, Mental Health, and the Vampire Cup blood donation drive. I’m lucky enough in this role to oversee these groups' initiatives and contribute to AMSA’s national advocacy priorities.
What made you want to pursue a career in rural medicine?
I grew up in regional Victoria in a lovely beachside town called Ocean Grove. Growing up in this setting really taught me the importance of community and instilled in me a drive to give back to the community which gave me so much. I have been lucky enough to be part of the Melbourne Medical School Rural Clinical School and have completed placements in Shepparton and Echuca. These placements have really opened my eyes to the need for dedicated Rural Generalists and showed me that we have a long way to go in creating a healthcare system and environment in which people are not disadvantaged based on their location.
Why did you choose to become a member of ACRRM?
I first came across ACRRM when I was lucky enough to experience a cultural immersion trip to Kakadu with Northern Territory General Practice Education. There were ACRRM trainees and staff on that trip and I was fascinated by the program. Attending RMA19 on the Gold Coast was the experience that truly opened my eyes to how wonderful ACRRM is. Being able to attend that conference as a Sponsored Student showed me that ACRRM is not only a college, but also a community, and there are so many doctors and students who are invested in future Rural Generalists which has just made me so inspired and welcomed into this community.
What experiences have inspired your RG journey?
In 2020, I undertook the Extended Rural Cohort program and completed a longitudinal GP placement in Echuca. This experience opened my eyes to rural generalism, and I was lucky enough to work with RGs who had been working in this community for 40-plus years. This really drove my passion for rural generalism as I was inspired by their flexibility, ingenuity, and their passion for holistic care. Alongside this, studying a Master of Public Health has really furthered my passion for a career in health advocacy, public policy, and in working towards healthcare system-level changes in order to reduce health inequities in our nation.
What made your time in Echuca so valuable?
The experience of parallel consulting in rural general practice in Echuca has been the highlight of my medical student journey. Being able to see the patients on my own, take a history, and do an examination to hand over to the doctor was truly rewarding. I loved antenatal care in particular and was lucky enough to assist in a few births in the hospital of patients I had seen in the clinic. Being able to follow up the patients over time and see their progress was incredible for my learning and is something I miss in the hospital setting.
You've just been appointed as President of AMSA for 2022. Tell us about your work with AMSA and why you are passionate to represent medical students around the country?
AMSA is the national body that represents Australia’s 17,000 medical students across 23 medical schools. Our mission is to inform, connect, and represent these medical students through advocacy, conferences, and publications. We have over 500 medical students who volunteer with AMSA each year. As President in 2022, I will be responsible for working with the National Executive and the Board to help coordinate these volunteers as well as represent medical student issues on a national level. I am so honoured and thrilled to have been elected for this role, as I am so passionate about ensuring medical students' voices are heard. The medical students around this country inspire me every day, and my time in AMSA so far has been incredibly rewarding. I’m looking forward to giving back to the medical student community and working with our stakeholders to improve medical education as well as the overall health of this nation.
Do you have a dream place you’d like to work as a rural or remote GP?
While I’d love to eventually return to a beachside town such as the one I grew up in, I’d love to spend some time travelling around the country and experiencing the diversity of rural or remote general practice. I see myself hopefully spending some time in our rural Indigenous communities to learn from the oldest culture in the world. I don’t know exactly where my career will take me yet, but I am looking forward to helping reduce the health inequalities that rural and remote Australians face.
I was lucky enough to work with RGs who had been working in this community [Echuca] for 40-plus years. This really drove my passion for rural generalism as I was inspired by their flexibility, ingenuity, and their passion for holistic care.Jasmine DavisACRRM student member
