Meeting needs of rural communities
FOR many, Babinda is known for little more than being one of Australia’s wettest towns, but for Dr Manik Kumaranayake Babinda has been a challenging, stimulating and satisfying part of her intern year.
“No two days are the same, they’re very unpredictable,” she said.
“I have GP clinic and rostered patients for day procedures and I’ll also be helping out with emergencies.
“Some people will drop in for a script and I’ll end up admitting them and sending them to Cairns.
“I’m learning so much all the time. Every experience and opportunity has been a learning point for me.
“Not knowing what’s coming certainly keeps me on my toes.”
No stranger to rural medicine, Dr Kumaranayake undertook rural placements throughout her years as a JCU medical student.
She believes JCU’S focus on rural and remote medicine has served her well going into her intern year.
“You do a lot of things yourself as an intern,” Dr Kumaranayake said.
“Having an understanding of what rural patients go through, and how their health and treatment affects their livelihoods makes a difference.
“I fit in well. I understand the town and what we can do here.
“I understand the medical services we have and what we can offer.”
While she’s yet to decide on her specialty, Dr Kumaranayake believes it will involve working in a rural or regional location.
“I like that nice mix you get with that, along with the chance to get to know your patients.
“Even though we’re just an hour away from Cairns there’s a huge difference between the experience here and what you get in bigger regional or metropolitan areas.”