Trainee docs get a taste of Bundy

Alison McCarthy, Dan Miller, Veronica Nejman and Steve Garrad at the medical students’ barbecue at Nielson Park Beach.

Mike Knott

THIRTEEN trainee doctors have chosen the sugar city as the place to finish their last two years of their medical degrees.

The trainee doctors were introduced to community representatives and had a quick tour of the region as a part of their orientation yesterday morning.

University of Queensland Rural Clinical School administrator Michelle Wright said the group would start work in Bundaberg Hospital and general practices around the region on Monday.

"We are pretty delighted that they had all preferenced to study in Bundaberg," she said.

Ms Wright said in previous years, few trainee doctors had asked to come to the region and the positions were filled through a ballot system.

"Because they have preferenced Bundaberg, it is more likely they will stay," she said.

Ms Wright said previously just 30% of the trainees had stayed in the area after the first year of training.

The graduates meet with clinical school's community advisors including CQUniversity head of campus Bundaberg Philip Clift, ABC Wide Bay manager Ross Peddlesden, Bundaberg councillor Lynne Forgan and St Luke's Anglican School principal Martin Oates.

"The morning was just about relaxing and getting to know one another," Ms Wright said.

The trainees will complete medical, surgery, mental health, general practice and rural rotations in the next year.