Traditionally
the Orange campus acted as a centre for the agricultural sciences,
stereotypically educating the 300 or so sons and daughters of NSW's
farmers.
With the introduction of the pharmacy degree, and other new courses,
the landscape is changing. Talking to students from Sydney, Brisbane
and Melbourne, Orange is fast become a centre for students who want
to study the same highly qualified degrees, but in a relaxed rural
background.
The facilities are changing too.
An eight million dollar upgrade of the Orange campus took place
last year, including a brand new science building containing state-of-the-art
labs.
It seems the space age has hit Orange, and Sydney has been left
behind!
The Bachelor
of Pharmacy (Rural) will equip graduates with the same skills
as the Sydney campus course but include a focus on the provision
of, and issues facing, rural health.
Indigenous health is also addressed.
Graduates will still have the freedom to register in any pharmacy
environment (not limited to rural areas), but it is hoped that
they will be more inclined to remain in a rural setting.
The new degree
comes at a time when rural pharmacy is suffering most.
Its a very positive step forward for pharmacy and the University
of Sydney in addressing this so-called crisis.
The anticipated benefits of the course are immense.
In NSW, an estimated two million people live in rural and remote
areas, with many major rural centres increasing at a steady rate.
In addition, 29% of Australia's indigenous population lives in
NSW.
However the pharmacists that service these regions are simply
retiring without replacement.
This phenomenon is already proving difficult for many communities.
Why are rural areas so apparently "unattractive" for
graduate pharmacists?
As a student,
and a life-long city dweller, I can provide limited input.
I know there is a need in rural areas.
I know that the patient base is ever growing, hence the business
of pharmacy will prosper.
I know the remuneration and chance to secure pharmacy ownership
would be excellent.
I also know that I would be more heavily depended upon for facilitating
primary health care, and hence the learning opportunities would
be considerable.
But this is what I don't know - would I have fun?
Interviewing one colleague on the topic, she confessed that working
in a rural area would be like "throwing a chunk of your life
away".
She then admitted that they weren't exactly the words she was
looking for, but it gives a fair indication of the stigma attached
to rural living.
"Leaving family and friends behind is a big step, and it
would be harder to make new friends, especially of the same age,
in rural communities".
So although a rural placement would bring financial and educational
rewards, the lack of perceived social life is an over-riding factor.
The universities
all around Australia have been promoting opportunities for rural
placements for undergraduate pharmacy students for a number of
years.
I envisage participating in one later on this year.
However the promotion of such rural placements is not optimal.
Why advertise rural placements solely to final year students?
I concede that first and second year students may not have sufficient
knowledge to make the placements worthwhile but third year students
definitely need to be exposed.
Presently, application procedures for rural grants are lengthy
and confusing, not to mention hard to source.
I have been doing some research on scholarships/grants available
and have found that the government, and other organisations, fund
countless bursaries for students.
I just wonder who actually applies, as next to nothing is mentioned
at university.
This is a start, and NAPSA (National Association of Pharmacy Students
of Australia) has made a subcommittee for Rural and Indigenous
Health to investigate and improve the marketing of the "outback".
The distinction
between targeting city kids to go rural and rural kids to stay
rural has been discussed at length.
Statistics show that students with a rural background are far
more likely to return to rural areas to work, perhaps reinforcing
the importance of family and friends.
The rural Orange campus is following in the footsteps of Charles
Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, in bringing a high quality tertiary
education facility to rural areas for rural and rural-motivated
students.
I think these institutions will provide immeasurable benefit for
the future and require our full support.
For the moment,
a lot rests on the shoulders of the 37 new pharmacy students commencing
at Orange to keep the rural 'torch' burning bright.
|
.jpg)
