A new contingent of medical students was officially welcomed on Monday as they commenced their placement at Bathurst Base Hospital.
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The cohort of 16 students is the 10th intake from Western Sydney University's [WSU] School of Medicine to commence placement since the initiative began in 2010.
During their placement, the students will undergo training in a range of services including general practice, paediatrics, critical care, surgery and mental health.
Medical student Matthew Bojanic said he was looking forward to the experience of practicing in a regional location.
"It's a great opportunity to not only hone your clinical skills, but to gain an understanding of how to care for patients in rural areas," Mr Bojanic said.
"You become more of a statistic living in Sydney, so I'm looking forward to a wholesome community experience here in Bathurst."
Mr Bojanic's key interest is in the field of critical care, and aspires to forge a career in retrieval medicine.
"This is a great stepping stone for me in understanding the nature of rural practice," he said.
Fellow student Nikitha Kramadhari is looking to expand her understanding of paediatrics and emergency medicine while on placement.
"Regional areas are always in need of health professionals, which is what motivated me to come here and help out where I'm needed," Ms Kramadhari said.
"I'm considering taking the NSW Rural Preferential Recruitment [RPR] pathway in my final year of study, and it's rumoured Bathurst will soon be added to the list of RPR hospitals."
The students are half way through their fourth year of study, and will be in Bathurst for 12 months.
Bathurst MP Paul Toole said the program is about attracting the next generation of health professionals to careers in regional NSW.
"We want to fill the gaps in health roles throughout regional NSW by showing medical students the many benefits of a country lifestyle," Mr Toole said.