Reliable Wi-Fi, hot water, distance from family and friends and supportive work and community environments were some of the issues raised by medical students and junior doctors about the barriers of taking on regional placements and long-term careers.
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As many Queensland, rural and remote communities struggle to attract doctors, several medical students and interns have spoken up about the challenges they face and what they feel would interest them in taking up a role out bush.
At the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland conference last week, several medical students from Griffith University said while they recognised the urgent need of remote and isolated communities and the satisfying careers, they wanted to ensure if they made a commitment they could fulfill expectations.
Final year medical student Keely Hughes said being able to communicate with medical peers was important to her if she took a role in a remote or rural area.
Ms Hughes along with fellow students Kate Thomson and Sandhya Indrajit is undertaking a placement at Kingaroy Hospital.
She said doing a rotation with people you knew was hugely beneficial.
"I feel what would attract me to a career in the country would include ongoing educational opportunities," she said.
"And opportunities to connect with our professional family of other doctors working in other rural locations."
Ms Indrajit said being able to catch up with loved ones was really critical.
"Good Wi-fi is very important so you can stay in touch with your friends and family when you are far away," she said.
Second year medical student Sarah Shea who was on a rotation at Gold Coast University Hospital, said apart from being part of a strong professional workplace, anywhere she could play sport would be great.
"I love playing basketball and soccer where I'm a striker or in goal," she said.
"Sport offers a another chance to form a strong connection with where you live and work."
Hiruni Gunasekera who is undertaking a placement in Roma, said being part of medical team which supported junior doctors to improve their skill set would be ideal.
"I'd like to work somewhere which encourages us to get involved and be real part of their community," she said.
For Dr Brodie Norton, being based at Thursday Island which is the medical hub for the Torres Strait, working in such a remote location offered enormous satisfaction.
Dr Brodie said his role as a clinician on Thursday Island offered a great variety of work which included being winched out of the rescue helicopter to retrieve a critically ill patient to working as an anaesthetic, ward and emergency doctor as as well as a GP.
"No two days are the same, every day is different," the former James Cook University graduate said.
"Attracting people to remote areas is easy but getting them to stay is not.
"But working here is very rewarding, I've been here two years now there's a great variety of work and the medical team and local community are fantastic."
Dr Jasmine Davis who is completing her medical internship at Bundaberg Hospital as part of the Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway, said she loved being part of country health service and urged other graduates to consider a career outside the big smoke.
She said undertaking an internship in a smaller hospital in a regional setting had many benefits including a good work-life balance and being able to develop positive professional relationships with senior medical colleagues.
"I got really hooked on the people at Bundaberg," Dr Davis said.
"I love working in regional Queensland and I would encourage every medical student or junior doctor to take the opportunity to spend some time the regions because its great experience and would greatly benefit these communities."
But several other medical students who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were worried about being sent to a location where they would be one of only a few medical staff and the stresses this could bring.
"I'm concerned about having a community relying on me and my colleagues and me not being able to keep up," one student said.
"I don't want to let my peers or a community down."
Another student said they had undergone a placement which has been very enjoyable work-wise, but the accommodation lacked several facilities including reliable internet connection and hot water.
"It might seem like a small thing but not having running hot water was really awful," they said.
Tell us about the challenges you face working remotely - Contact Alison Paterson on 0437 861 082.
