Medical Student

At any time whilst completing your medical degree you can as a medical student contact the NT RGCU to enquire about who and what a Rural Generalist is and does in the Northern Territory context. The Coordination Units Career Navigators are available to have a conversation/discussion with you in regard to what a career in rural medicine may look like.

To gain a greater understanding of how rural medicine and primary health care fits into the Australian health system it is keenly promoted that when you are selecting your medical school placements, usually in your final two years of your medical degree, that you consider the variety of rural and remote community placement opportunities available to you locally. Where possible a community placement in rural/remote Northern Territory will create a strong foundation for your internship application. It will also be of benefit and assist you to confirm your medical career aspirations at this point in your journey as a future doctor in training.

Community placement sites in the Northern Territory vary from rural/remote clinics and practices that include Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) to small regional and larger tertiary hospitals, and from isolated desert and island communities to the multi-cultural centres of Darwin and Alice Springs.

During community-based placements, medical students have the opportunity to work closely with a rural workforce that includes general practitioners, rural generalists, specialist outreach clinicians, community nurses, rural allied health professionals, and other rural and remote healthcare providers such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners. This exposure allows you to learn about the challenges and nuances of providing healthcare in community-based settings, where the focus is likely to be on but not limited to preventive care, chronic disease management, and health promotion.

Community-based placements contribute to the development of skills such as communication, teamwork, and cultural competence, which are crucial for effective rural medical practice.

For more information regarding medical student community-based placements in the Northern Territory go to Flinders in the Northern Territory

Towards the end of your final year at Medical School you will have the opportunity to apply for an Australian medical Internship, you can apply for any state or territory unless you are a graduate of the Northern Territory Medical Program where there is a return of service requirement. The Intern application process is a national process that have preset application dates each year for applying. For more information about this process for the Northern Territory go to NT Prevocational Medical Assurance Services (PMAS) website.

* Please note if you are interested in an Internship in the Northern Territory and you would like to be considered for a rural intern rotation you can highlight your interest by checking the box within the application that you are interested in a rural rotation within your Intern year.