Local Bronte Donaldson, Caitlin Hurlock, and Jay Short are three of the new interns who commenced work at the hospital this week.

Ms Donaldson completed six years of training at James Cook University in Townsville, and achieved her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery.

Although she calls Mount Isa home, the effervescent young doctor said she had to do a lot of travelling during those six years.

“I lived in Townsville and Mackay whilst I studied,” she said.

Ms Donaldson engaged in her practical placements in several places, but Mount Isa Hospital was her preferred venue.

“When it came to deciding where I wanted to go, Mount Isa was my first preference and basically the only place I wanted to be.”

Ms Donaldson said Mount Isa Hospital had a really good reputation for turning out brilliant interns.

“While on placement here, I asked last years interns’ questions and came to the conclusion that Mount Isa was definitely the place to advance my career.”

“We are very well looked after here. As part of a team, we can develop close relationships with consultants and other medical officers,” she said.

Ms Donaldson will start her rotation in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“I really enjoyed O&G as a subject and completed one of my six week placements here in that clinic.”

“I think every rotation will be a challenge.”

Caitlin Hurlock from Townsville said she had never been to Mount Isa before even though she made it her first preference.

“It was a bit of a stab in the dark, but I’ve had a lot of exposure to rural places through my family,” Ms Hurlock said.

“During medical school, students that came out here for placements raved about it so I thought why not.”

Ms Hurlock’s first placement is in the Emergency Department.

“Initially this placement is for 12 weeks, but each placement after that is 10 weeks.

“I really do like emergency medicine because it’s fast-paced but I really enjoyed my pediatric placement too, while I was in medical school.”

Ms Hurlock, along with the other five interns, are on the Rural Generalists Pathway which means they are training towards becoming rural GPs and as part of the training they have the opportunity to develop and advance their skills, and partake in extra specialties training.

“My goal is to work in a rural community so all of this extra training will benefit communities with services they wouldn’t be able to have otherwise,” she said.

I’d  like to have the opportunity to work as a GP in the future but also with the combined freedom to go into a hospital setting.”

Before Jay Short started studying medicine he worked as a remote area nurse in Kowanyama.

“It was around the time the Deed of Grants came in. 

In his time at Kowanyama, Mr Short was exposed to issues such as child neglect, domestic violence and abuse.

“One of the Doctors at the time could see the distress so she wrote a letter to Prime Minister at the time, John Howard, and explained what was happening,” Mr Short said.

The Doctor was able to get a meeting and assist in changes being made.

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“She was very instrumental in helping, I truly believe that because she was a Doctor she could articulate at a high level and in doing so she could make a difference.”

“I want to make a difference too.”

“For me it was about being a there for the Indigenous on ground level and government organisation to be able to state the facts to better the communities,” he said.

Mr Short’s first rotation is at the Emergency Department.

“Mount Isa was my first and only real choice.”

“I’m looking forward to my medicine rotation. As you are aware their is a lot of chronic disease and Indigenous people with poor health outcomes here. My goal is to work with them for a better future.”