The University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH) in Lismore opened its doors to a group of enthusiastic high school students for its Open Day yesterday.

The event, aimed at Year 11 students interested in pursuing careers in health, provided a unique opportunity for young minds to immerse themselves in the world of healthcare and gain insights into the various disciplines within the field.

This event marked a significant return after a hiatus caused by COVID-19 and local floods, making it the first open day since 2019.

Frances Barraclough, an academic working with UCRH, told the Lismore App, “I think it's really important that we support our careers advisors and our local high school students to consider choosing a career in health."

"We've got an ageing population worldwide and an increase in chronic disease and the Commonwealth Government has actually identified careers in health as an absolute priority. There's been a government document that's just come out, the Universities Accord, to say that we need to prioritize caring careers."

"So we need to make sure that we're supporting our high school students in rural and regional Australia, to be able to navigate the pathways into health to navigate the pathways into universities. But most importantly, while we're here, we need to make sure that they know about UCRH and what we do and that we're here to support them ongoing.”

The day's program was packed with engaging activities that aimed to showcase the diverse avenues within the health sector. The morning session kicked off with a panel discussion featuring current university students enrolled in various health degree programs. The panelists, including students studying medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, dentistry, occupational therapy, nutrition and dietetics, and exercise physiology, shared their personal journeys, experiences, and insights into their respective fields.

The afternoon session was dedicated to hands-on skills stations, offering participants a chance to experience the practical aspects of healthcare. From learning essential suturing techniques to mastering basic life support skills and dentistry practices, the students gained a taste of the skills required in different healthcare professions.

Brian O’Connor, the careers advisor from Byron Highschool said, “We brought four kids, all interested in various aspects of what’s been discussed this morning. They were fully engaged. They learn the pros and cons of every possible medical career. It’s a reality check for some of them. Just what is involved for them to get into medicine directly from school. But it’s also inspiring - the kids haven’t interacted with medical professionals, unless it's through personal injury.”

Karen Horne, the careers advisor from Alstonville High, said, “It’s been very informative. The students really need to see the different opportunities open to them out there. It’s also good for them to know that it's not just always a straight way of getting into somewhere. But if they try some different things, they might find that what they're thinking to start with may not be the eventual outcome.”

Here’s what the students had to say about the day:

Abby, from Summerland Christian College (SCC) said, “I found this morning really helpful, I think, because I was sort of deciding what field of medicine I wanted to go into. I think it was quite nice that they brought students but also experienced personnel in the medical field to talk to us. And I did like the question and answering panel where they talked about their day-to-day lives and what they did.”

(Students from Summerland Christian College enjoying the Healthcare Open Day)

Amelie, also from SCC said, “I found the experienced workers coming in was really interesting, especially because I'm very interested in psychology and women's reproductive health. It’s cool to hear from someone who's actually gone through all of it and is actually at the end goal and for us to see what jobs they've actually gotten out of these degrees. There was also a lot of discourse about placement and the practical work you can do through your degree - how you can start in the workforce while you're still studying. So that's really interesting as well."

The Lismore App asked students whether they had already decided about moving into healthcare, or whether days like this might help them to make that decision.

India, said, “Oh, yes. I've been looking at two different pathways, which are really different. So I really like going to stuff like this because it gives me more information and it is so interesting. I'm getting all this advice from people who are actually doing these degrees and have these jobs. So yeah, I find it really useful.”

Maddison, from Saint Joseph’s said, “I definitely learnt a lot. I don’t know exactly where I want to go, but I find it so helpful to listen and get a taste of everything. Being in year 11, you don't know. Like when he was talking about psychology and all the different ways you can get in to study it.”

“It helps to broaden your horizons. It’s also a reality check - you don’t realise all these tests you have to do!” Tyson, also from Saint Josephs, said.

The Open Day was organized in partnership with Connect Northern Rivers, a local not-for-profit organization focused on fostering connections between educational institutions and community resources. The Lismore App spoke to Ingrid Johansen, the project officer at Connect Northern River.

“I think it's really important for students to talk to clinicians or hear the clinician speaking about their experience and being able to ask questions. Also, to talk to current university students so that they can ask them questions, people that have gone down that path, and the path that they'd like to go down to make sure they're making the right decision."

"And I think there's so many different ways they can veer off in health into different pathways. I think it's good too, in that they might get ideas. They might have thought they want to do a certain vocation, but they might be steered into another simply by hearing someone talk about it."

"It also opens up their eyes a little bit to all the different pathways that they can take and not all through university. Sometimes, they can go through TAFE, which can be a bit of an easier stepping stone for some people.

"We aim for year eleven students, so that they can start applying and they find out about entry scores. We’re just helping them to find out as much information as they can that will help them go in the direction that they're interested in going in - or help them find a direction. That's the idea of today.”

The Open Day served as a reminder of UCRH’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals. With the success of this year's event, the team looks forward to welcoming more aspiring healthcare students in the years to come, fostering a strong foundation for the future of healthcare in rural communities.