Wheatbelt Medical Student Immersion Program 2025

Published on Wednesday, 19 March 2025 at 9:53:29 AM

 The Shire of Wongan-Ballidu was proud to once again host Curtin University medical students as part of the Wheatbelt Medical Student Immersion Program. This initiative gave students a first-hand experience of rural healthcare while immersing them in regional community life.

14 students were welcomed by Cr Stuart Boekmen at Wongan Hills CRC, before enjoying a town tour, a swim at the pool, and the hospitality of their billet families.

Over the next few days, they participated in a range of activities, including:

  • A tour of the Wongan Hills Medical Centre and Hospital.
  • A Teddy Bear Clinic at Wongan Hills District High School run by Dr Ajit.
  • Visits to Ballidu Contemporary Art Society and Heritage Centre.
  • Emergency response insights at St John Ambulance Sub Centre.
  • A farm visit hosted by Peter and Sian Whitfield.
  • A tour of the Wongan Ballidu & Districts Men's Shed.
  • Exploring Lake Ninan and Mount O’Brien, enjoying the natural beauty of the region.

A highlight of the week was the Thank You BBQ, hosted by the Shire and the Men’s Shed, with the Men’s Shed purchasing the meat from the butcher and salads prepared by the Anglican Church. Shire President Cr Mandy Stephenson addressed the gathering, reinforcing the importance of rural healthcare.

 

A Huge Thank You

This program would not have been possible without the incredible support of our community. A special thank you to:

  • Our billet/host families for welcoming students into their homes and making them feel part of the community.
  • Wongan Hills District High School for hosting the Teddy Bear Clinic.
  • Ballidu Contemporary Art Society and Ballidu Heritage Centre (Pam) for providing cultural and historical insights.
  • Wongan Ballidu & Districts Men's Shed for their guided tour and involvement in the Thank You BBQ.
  • Peter and Sian Whitfield for hosting students on their farm visit.
  • Wongan Hills Medical Centre, Hospital, and Dr Ajit for giving students a valuable rural healthcare experience.
  • St John Ambulance Sub Centre for providing hands-on emergency medical insights.
  • The Anglican Church for preparing delicious salads for the BBQ.
  • Our community, who helped to welcome the students to our town.

Your generosity and commitment have helped to create lasting memories for the students, and hopefully, inspired some to return as future rural healthcare professionals.

Below is a poem written by the students and read out at the Thank You BBQ:

 Wongan,
We’ve been here 4 days,
We’ve worked on some bondin’,
We’ve loved the home stays.

It started on a bus,
It wasn’t really a fuss and discovered our love for card games.

We looked at some stars,
Visited some bars,
And climbed up a very big hill,
It was quite a thrill.

Saw some museums,
The artists - we see ‘em’,
On the way home:
The music was loud,
Gary was very proud,
He got to listen to our singing.

Then a dip in the pool,
Also visited the school,
And treated the kids teddy bears.

 We visited the doc,
It was quite a shock,
The town loves a country GP.

 We stared at the stock,
But don’t worry, we didn’t fire a glock.

We stood at a lookout,
Very out of breath,
Had a pretty great cookout,
At least there has been no death.

David had too many men,
We looked at some wood,
And Ketharka won a pen,
Who knew a men’s shed could be so good.

The hospital was great,
There was a bird called Leo,
He is our new mate,
A painting was bought by Neo.

 A ride in the Ambo,
Although it is no Lambo,
We still got to put the siren on.

The men’s shed urn broke,
But now it’s back to the big smoke.

So we thank you all,
Your commitment was not small,
And loved every second of our stay.

So we will all be back,
We’ll give it a crack,
We’ll come here again.

Our course is at the end,
Because we will miss you all,
It’s been a ball,
and we wish you the best of luck!

 

 

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