For the final blog in our 'Australia April' series, Recruitment Consultant Eilidh Manson highlights some of the benefits of working in the more rural areas Down Under...
Why Go Rural?
Rural communities in Australia are not necessarily cut off from the world. You will still find plenty of shops, entertainment, good schools and lots of outdoor activities wherever you go.
There are a number of incentives to work in rural Australia. Just a few examples:
- If you choose to work in a solo practice, you can take pride in knowing that because of you, the people in the area are being taken care of. They might be travelling 80km to see you and you will know you are giving people something that without you, they would not have.
- The competition in “rural” Australia can be far different to that of the cities. Where in some locations you may have 20 GPs competing for 5,000 people, working in rural commutes, you may be 1 of 3 GPs looking after 5,000 people.
- Earning potential varies dramatically depending what the GP wants to take on. Some locations, GPs can earn as much as $400,000 in their first year! There are also local and national grants availiable on top of your earnings.
- In some places there may be fewer schools, but it can mean class sizes can be smaller so pupils have less competition in the teachers attention and pupils are more likely to be learning with their neighbours and friends.
- Less traffic. As with anywhere, the more people, the more cars tend to be on the roads. Working outwith a major city can bring great benefits in terms of getting around, finding a parking space and road safety.
If you have any other suggestions on why working rural is a great idea, we'd be glad to hear from you!
We are always interested in GPs' experiences working in Australia, so why not add your stories below? You can also find a wealth of information on the Rural Health Workforce Australia website.