Bundaberg Regional Clinical Unit

Clinical training is delivered through public and private healthcare providers including:

• Bundaberg Hospital
• General Practitioners
• Private Specialists
• Allied health practitioners
• Other community-based healthcare providers.

The centre comprises of:

• a state-of-the-art clinical simulation lab
• task trainers and clinical skills facilities
• a mock ward
• extensive teaching and learning resources
• study and interaction spaces.

View short term and long term accommodation options

Meet Rebecca

Dr Rebecca Marshall liked a lot of things about her lifestyle and placement in Bundaberg and stayed for her final two years of her degree.

She enjoyed the close knit community and welcoming nature of the people she met through sports and other community groups. She really loves the beaches around Bundaberg and enjoyed running along the coast and swimming in the ocean year round!

And she also liked how friendly the hospital was.

"People were kind and wanted the best for us, they included us in teams as medical students and it was really nice to get to know a lot of the staff at the hospital.

"You certainly aren't invisible as a medical student in Bundaberg hospital - but a part of the team! The caseload in Bundaberg hospital was quite varied and we got plenty of hands-on experience managing complex and interesting medical conditions."

Rebecca graudated in 2022 at the Bundaberg Regional Clinical Unit with a Doctor of Medicine (MD). In 2023, Rebecca commenced her career as a doctor, interning at Redcliffe Hospital.

While Rebecca hasn't narrowed down what specialty she would like to pursue she has praised the broad experience in medicine she was offered at Bundaberg Hospital that she said allows "well-informed decisions about specialties we might like or dislike."

"Living and working in Bundaberg for two years certainly taught me that there are benefits to working in regional communities.

"From a medical perspective, there is variety in the patient load with less subspecialisation than tertiary centres meaning that doctors manage a wider range of conditions.

"Patients and staff at the hospital also tend to be welcoming and grateful for the work doctors do, and the smaller hospital size makes for tight knit teams.

"I think these benefits make the prospect of working regionally in the future an attractive prospect!" she said.

Meet Oliver

"Growing up in Brisbane all my life, I would have never come to Bundaberg were it not for the opportunity presented by the RCS.

"Now I've spent 2 formative years here, I know I'd be able to really happily train or build a long-term career in a town like Bundy.

"It also opened my eyes to the health inequities and challenges faced by people outside of the South East QLD, and sparked a passion to contribute further to these communities."

Dr Oliver Wightman graduated with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the Bundaberg Regional Clinical Unit. Oliver is now at Ipswich Hospital as an intern on the Rural Generalist Pathway.

"The RCS exposed me to the possibility of Rural Generalism (RG) as a career - getting to know the RG trainees in the hospital and understanding the high level of care provided by RGs to the communities surrounding Bundaberg sparked a passion for working in a similar environment.

"I immediately gravitated towards the program knowing the amazing people already working in that space!"

Oliver came to Bundy with a group of mates in 3rd year looking for a bit of an adventure and new experience outside of Brisbane, they all had such a good time that staying for their 4th and final year became an obvious choice!

"The Hospital environment gave us the opportunity to be incredibly hands-on and involved in the care of patients - you were never sitting in the corner on placement watching the world go by!

"Apart from the obvious benefits of living 10 minutes from the beach and 5 minutes from the hospital, the community at Bundy made the experience worthwhile.

"Getting involved in community, through activities like local footy, parkrun or the VacSeen project, meant that trips to the shops always involved running into friendly faces!

"It helped us get a sense of how smaller, more connected communities can have a huge benefit for your social wellbeing."

Oliver said for anyone coming to Bundaberg or another RCS site with an open mind and willingness to get 'stuck in', you'll reap the rewards.

"I now believe the RCS and hospital environment here maximises the chance you come out the other side as a competent and confident intern.

"These years have been some of the happiest (and cheapest!) of my life, and I've been surprised how being in a smaller community actually allows you to be more balanced outside of study - whether it's the time you save on commuting each day, the proximity to beautiful parts of the world or how easy it is to be involved in the community.

"You don't know what you don't know, and getting out of Brisbane is a fantastic way to try something new and expand your horizons."

Meet Katerina 

Katerina is a Year 4 MD student, currently studying in Bundaberg.

What enticed you to study medicine? 

I wanted to have a career where every day would be different, and I get to interact with all sorts of people from all walks of life. I also love solving puzzles and so studying medicine  seemed like the best fit for me! 

What’s your accommodation like in Bundaberg?

I chose to live in the units provided by the university as they were fully furnished and really close to the hospital. This made early starts much easier! Also, I get to live next door to a lot of other medical students which made it easy to hang out or study together. You really get to know each other and I have made some great friendships.

What enticed you to study in Bundaberg?

I did a two-week placement in the Bundaberg ED in my first year of medicine and immediately decided I would come back for my clinical years. I couldn't believe that as a first year I was actually seeing patients, so I could hardly imagine how much more hands-on experience I would get as a third and fourth year - and Bundaberg did not disappoint! I've also always wanted to live in a small beachside town and Bargara (only 10-15 minutes away) has one of the most beautiful beaches and marine sanctuaries there is.

What do you enjoy most about living and studying in Bundaberg?

I think that being in a rural/regional centre as a student helps you become more confident in your skills and sets you up really well to be a good junior doctor. Working in a smaller hospital, you get lots of hands-on learning and experience. For example, assisting in theatres and seeing patients independently in ED. It is really rewarding to be acknowledged as an integral part of the team.

What has been your favourite moment of your studies so far?

Spending six weeks in the emergency department and getting to practice my skills and see patients independently and report to my supervisors, just like what I will be doing next year as an intern. It was great preparation for the years ahead and really gave me the confidence in myself. 

What was your pathway into medicine?

I studied biomedicine straight after high school down in Melbourne and then took a gap year to really think about what I wanted to do next. This gave me good opportunities to earn some money and go travelling before I started the next four years studying Medicine at UQ. 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time in Bundaberg?

I love being active and going running or swimming, which is also a great way to wind down after a busy day and to meet new people in a new place. If I'm looking to relax, I like gardening and also just lounging on the couch with a good book. I also took up knitting a few years ago, which is a surprisingly good way to relax and keep my hands busy whilst watching television.

Any other comments?

Going rural was the best decision I have ever made. I cannot stress enough how many opportunities arise in regional and rural areas and the connections you make with colleagues and with the members of the community are indelible. Even as a medical student, you are made to feel like an invaluable member of the team. 

Meet Roxanne and Liana

“Ever since I was a child I have wanted to be involved in medicine. Over the years my passion for science and helping people has increased, signalling to me that medicine was the right pathway to become involved in.”

Roxanne

“The more hands on experience, patient interactions and one on one teaching were my main motivators for me choosing the Bundaberg Clinical Unit. These are the things I feel will make me a better doctor.”

Liana

UQ Rural Clinical School
Bundaberg Hospital
Bourbong Street (PO Box 278)
Bundaberg Qld 4670
T: +61 7 4130  1900 
E: uqrcs.bundaberg@uq.edu.au
    uqrcs.enquiries@uq.edu.au