Medical School

Theodore Multipurpose Health Service

Address

87 The Blvd, Theodore, QLD, 4719, AUSTRALIA

27 Ninth Ave, Theodore, QLD, 4719, AUSTRALIA

About the Placement

Placement Type: Hospital and GP Clinic

Servicing the townships of Theodore, Cracow and surrounding areas, Theodore Medical provides a comprehensive rural general practice including surgery, anaesthetics and antenatal care. Also available on site is a wide range of diagnostic services including x-ray, ultrasound, hearing, heart and breathing tests. Other services include acupuncture, back manipulation and non-PBS dispensary, along with a dedicated Health Improvement team who manage our chronic disease patients and indigenous health care. 

Theodore Multipurpose Health Service provides an emergency department, inpatient and outpatient care, paediatric, imminent birthing, palliative and respite care. 

It is a 14 bed multi-purpose health service.

Opportunities for Students

Students will split their time between Theodore Multipurpose Health Service and Theodore Medical Centre.

About Theodore

Theodore is like no other town in Australia. Although it lies on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range it is almost tropical with it extensive stands of palm trees in the main street. Theodore supports a diverse rural sector with its main industries being cattle, cotton, grain and timber. At the southern end of Queensland’s coal-rich Bowen Basin, the town’s economy is closely linked to coal mining.

Close-by attractions include;

  • Isla Gorge National Park
  • Historical Bridges
  • Flagstaff Hill and the Old Flagged Road
  • Cracow Beach

Website

Getting there

Distance from Brisbane: 548km (6h 14m drive time)

Transport Options: Bus, Drive, Fly, Train

Accommodation Type: Practice house (500m to hospital & medical centre)

Transport required for placement: Advantageous - for exploring the region

Tips from previous students

Placement:

  • Soak up every opportunity you can from your time in Theodore, the doctors are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about teaching, they are also amazing role models of what a great doctor looks like, regardless of whatever field you may end up specialising.
  • Make yourself available for variety of opportunities while in a rural setting, including performing/observing procedures, shadowing the on-call doctor.
  • The more you put in, and the more enthusiastic you are, the more you will get out of your placement. There are many opportunities. It can be useful to frame your learning opportunities from the perspective that one day it will be you who is operating independently, and to be the best doctor you can be you need to be taking the most opportunities that you can - of which they are abundant in Theodore.

Community Engagement:

  • Trivia night's are fun and a great way to get to know some community members and the rest of the staff outside of work hours. 
  • Going out with the other medical students to explore the area is a great thing to do while in Theodore. 
  • The intern is also fun if you befriend them. 
  • Town is great for a run, if you run along the river. 4km from the accommodation to the river junction and back. 
  • The community gym is well equipped.
  • Come to Thedore and take full advantage to do as much as you can.

Testimonials

The ability to complete my placement in Theodore at Theodore Medical was an incredibly positive experience for me and the lessons I've learned both clinical and with respect to being a good doctor are ones I will carry with me for the rest of my career. The facilities that the GP centre possessed were excellent.

I was very well looked after in Theodore, the Preceptor does a fantastic job with students. I was keen to learn and the opportunities were abundantly present and I experienced and learned much in my time there.

I felt the placement was really good at being able to experience a lot of the rural life. I thought getting to know the community and the staff was a very valuable and rewarding experience. I think part of getting to know the community would be a big reason for me to consider rural practice in the future. I found it great that I could also go sightseeing and exploring the local area around the rural town. I felt that this rural experience gave me an opportunity to travel to Central Queensland that I doubt I would ever do if not for this. 

Watching the Preceptors taught me that medicine is more than just knowledge and clinical practice, it is about positively effecting the lives of your patients in ways that are both thorough and thoughtful.