St Vincent’s doctors go outback to support the people of Katherine
St Vincent’s doctors go outback to support the people of Katherine
30 May 2023
From 2023, St Vincent’s Resident Doctors have the unique opportunity to spend a rotational term in the Northern Territory, based at Katherine Hospital.
Katherine Hospital is a rural hospital offering medical services to a region the size of Victoria. But has just 60 beds, three wards - medical, paediatric, obstetrics and gynaecology, and a medical day stay unit. In the Emergency Department, twenty percent of presentations are children, and 48% are First Nations patients, who very often only speak English as a second or third language.
Dr Jessica Green, St Vincent’s Director of Prevocational Education and Training, says it’s a learning experience like no other.
“Medicine in the Northern Territory is wild with some unique tropical medicine and trauma. Plus there is great exposure to the many challenges of pathology affecting our Indigenous patients in remote and rural locations, far from a Cath Lab or dialysis centre. It’s a wonderful opportunity for doctors to practice in areas of disease that are rarely seen in big city hospitals.
Common health issues, with up to five times more prevalence than in the Australian average population, include renal disease, alcohol related morbidity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung disease.
Additionally, social impacts, such as overcrowded housing, limited public infrastructure and food insecurity are common, and hamper control over infectious diseases.
It’s a challenging but tremendously rewarding place to work.
Dr Sarah Doyle is our first Senior Resident Medical Officer taking up the challenge. She will have the option of exploring time with rural GPs in obstetrics, anaesthetists and community outreach clinics.
“Being able to serve a small community and work alongside some of the most dedicated people I've met has been such a privilege. Working in Katherine is such a unique experience, from the natural beauty of the landscape to the people that make up the town”.
St Vincent’s have committed to send one JMO to Katherine each term – with five terms a year. While Katherine Hospital receives JMOs on secondment from the Royal Darwin Hospital, they often struggle to recruit enough and rely heavily on locums.
It’s hoped that this new partnership with St Vincent’s will provide some consistency in the workforce within Katherine Hospital, and importantly within their community where the need is so great.
“I've heard many people say there's something about Katherine that makes you want to come back. It pushes you to give your best”, Sarah said.
Dr Sarah Doyle