Penultimate medical students Liv Williams and Luke Panuccio swapped Warren Blackwood hospitals for Derby Hospital recently and have reaped the rewards. 

The two-week placement in Derby is a Rural Clinical School of WA (RCSWA) initiative designed to give students more exposure to Aboriginal health and remote practice.

Liv said it had been an “awesome experience” for her to see the unique Kimberley approach to medical practice at Derby Aboriginal Health Service (DAHS) and Derby Hospital. 

DAHS has specific Kimberley Guidelines that assist doctors to diagnose and prescribe because of the complex health needs of patients in the region.

“I was fortunate to visit a few remote community clinics, join ward rounds and scrub into OBGYN theatre. I feel grateful to have learnt from doctors and health practitioners committed to Aboriginal Health and grateful to the patients for allowing us students to be involved!" she said. 

Image: RCSWA penultimate students Luke Panuccio and Liv Williams assist in surgery at Derby Hospital.

On their last day in Derby, the students assisted with two planned Lower Segment Caesarean Sections (LUSCS), one of which was a breech delivery and the other with cervical cerclage. 

Luke said he was keen to visit Derby to see a side of medicine he would not have exposure to in the south. 

“I was able to go into the Derby ED and ward, scrub into OBGYN theatre cases, go to a remote Aboriginal community, and sit in on consults at DAHS. This was a great two weeks to see and appreciate the differences in medicine in northern WA,” he said.

RCSWA Derby Medical Coordinator Dr Lauren Kerestes said she was glad Liv and Luke had great experiences and hoped they would return in future. 

“I thank the nurses and doctors in various departments for welcoming the students and putting them right into practice, not just tagging along,” she said. 

“The doctors were RCSWA alumni and offered great clinical practice opportunities to the students plus exam tips and tricks. They partnered up well!” 

More Warren Blackwood students are flying to Derby in April and June, and Broome final year students will rotate through the town all year.

The initiative is coordinated by RCSWA Academic Service Officers Lyndsey Hamilton (Derby) and Toni Pantou (Warren Blackwood), RCSWA Medical Coordinators Dr Lauren Kerestes and Dr Lydia Scott, and local medical staff. 

Image: Student Liv Williams flying to a clinic in the remote community of Kupungarri.