Y’know in primary school when we go on school camps. Every time we finished one of those, have some sort of sad sort of longing - for the memories we had but would never experience again, and also a sense of happiness about returning home to our families. That’s what I’m experiencing right now as I take the V-Line train home from Bendigo with a friend, after a week of ‘rural’ placement in Bendigo. I’m tired (4.5 hours of sleep last night) and doing an assignment on malaria (mosquitoes are the animal kingdom’s biggest killer of humans), but reflecting on the trip will give me some closure on what has been the longest time away from home that I’ve been.

Sunday

On Sunday, A’s mum drove us to Southern cross. I was so tired as I had been doing the RESN BBQ at Westfield Doncaster. We almost missed the 5:06 train to Bendigo because of Maccas, but after a bit of jogging we made it just in time. There was someone on the train without a ticket and we waited at a station to take them off. The train was fast and cheap.

We then went to buy at Coles. I forked out 50 dollars for groceries, which was way higher than I expected.

Then that night I called and chatted with people and went to bed at like 3.

Monday

On Monday we attended a smoking ceremony, explored Monash rural health where there was a nice common room.

Tuesday

Tuesday we attended clinical skills where we did suturing, cannula and blood practice. Then we went to the hospital, where Daniel took me around. At the hospital, we observed a surgery from the outside, as well as interviewed some patients. The fact of the matter is that most patients are bored and probably want something to do, and so don’t mind being talked to by medical students. Overall, the hospital was very clean and new. that night people went gokarting but I stated at home and ate pasta.

We played board games at nighttime which was great. Games played included

  • Photo Roulette
  • Secret Hitler
  • Spyfall
  • Heads up
  • Catan
  • Coup
  • Fusball
  • Chess

Wednesday

Today I went to the GP. I watched some procedures, including Implanon insertion, skin lesion removal and wart removal. All the doctors at the clinic were very gracious and welcoming. They don’t bulk bill, but I found that they had more time for their patients whom they had formed good relatinoships with. Being a GP isn’t all that easy financial wise either, let alone a regional GP - they have to pay for rent or the mortgage, staff and bills. The GP there told me that if he didn’t work five days a week he wouldn’t be able to afford it.

Thursday

On Thursday we went to the farm and visited some cows which was really nice. It was good to meet a real cow farmer and almost be peed on by mad cows. We also go taste cow milk which was great.

That night we went to Maccas where I discovered that Maccas Frozen Cokes don’t cost $1 after midnight. As of November 2022, however, they only cost $1 if you use the app.

Friday

Friday was a chance for a ‘Socratic Seminar’, where we discussed issues facing rural medicine. I took the VLine train home, and by the end of the journey, it was nighttime. All I was thinking of as I was going home was how symbolic the VLine train was - a single, connected unit of strangers meandering its way through the pitch black countryside, meeting the occasional train every once in a while for a fleeting moment, before saying goodbye and diving headfirst into the unknown, guided by nothing but two pieces of metal, and like the train, destined, almost, to never meet each other.