Meet Paige

General Practitioner

Paige has worked at WAMS for four months now and this is her first professional position as a qualified General Practitioner. She studied at the University of Western Sydney, completing her internship and residency at Westmead Hospital in Sydney. She then conducted her GP training in Newcastle for three years before moving to Walgett and taking up her current position with WAMS.

“My weeks at WAMS are quite varied. I work two or three days in the Walgett clinic and one day at the Brewarrina Aboriginal Medical Service. Then I’ll either spend one day in another local community such as Pilliga or Goodooga, or work on a research project. We’re currently conducting one with Family Planning NSW on cervical screening for Indigenous women.”

As a GP, Paige travels to a number of outreach clinics, which demands adaptability. This is an enjoyably challenging part of her role, as not all of the clinics are resourced, and it is not as easy to follow-up with patients as it is in city-based clinics.

“When seeing patients, you need flexibility to go the extra mile. I’m in a privileged position where I can provide people healthcare in these rural areas. For example, I might need to do a joint injection, as opposed to organising it under ultrasound as I would in a city clinic.”

WAMS provides Paige with the flexibility to work three weeks in Walgett and one week at home. She stays in touch with her family through Facetime and Skype.

Paige moved to Walgett when her fiancé worked there as a medical student. He had such a great experience, that when Paige was looking for a rural job, he recommended it.

“The best way to know a place is word of mouth, so that was a good review. There’s a sense of community. Everyone knows everyone. People will say hello in the street or wave, which is really nice! They don’t ignore you like they do in the city.”

During her first month at WAMS, many people asked her how long she would be staying for. It was rewarding for her to gain their trust and provide continuity of care. Sometimes patients will attend the clinic who don’t necessarily want to see a doctor. Paige engages them and they return, which provides them with stability.

In her spare time, Paige attends rugby games, local bands and festivals, and other community events. She usually sees a lot of familiar faces.

“It’s a big scary step to move away from a CBD or central well-resourced area, but you actually feel like you’re making a difference here.”