A group of 30 aspiring doctors returned from a South Island “Tiki Tour” inspired and energised about the future of rural healthcare, after an immersive, hands-on experience made possible through the Matagouri Rural Health Club at the University of Otago.
Organised by the university’s rural health club, the tour was designed to give pre-clinical medical students a rare opportunity to explore life and work in rural communities. As the club’s president, Andrew McLennan, explained, “Our Tiki Tour was set up to offer students a chance to explore rural medical practices within the South Island. Within medical school, we don’t get many opportunities to get out into the rural communities, and many students very much follow the pipeline of big city hospital to big city hospital.”
The initiative aims to shift that mindset. Mobile Health Group provided fuel vouchers to support the club’s tiki tour, helping students focus on the experience. Andrew said the goal was clear: “We think it is so important for the exposure into the beauty of rural life and working rurally, with the goal of inspiring our future doctors to work in these communities.” (Photo left: Students work together to safely lift and carry a ‘patient’ on a stretcher during a rural emergency response scenario at the start of the Kepler Track, near Te Anau.)
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural trip which saw students travel to Dunstan Hospital and Alexandra Health Centre, this year’s tour introduced a new concept. Rather than visiting just a couple of facilities, the group followed the journey of a hypothetical patient through multiple levels of rural healthcare. “We wanted to explore new areas that students may not have been to before and provide more exposure to the various small towns that people would often drive straight through.” The theme of “following” a patient after a severe bush injury allowed students to see how care is delivered across different services in a rural setting.
A highlight of the experience was the hands-on emergency response training. In realistic scenarios set in the bush, students were guided through critical decision-making under pressure, led by Dr Steve Hoskin. “During the scenarios, [the doctor] provided us with guidance on what to do and what to think about – ‘What would you do now? Ok great, go ahead and do it, he’s bleeding out!’” Andrew recalls. “Everyone was encouraged to get stuck in and help but there was no pressure. Everyone had a turn carrying the stretcher and everyone had a chance to get involved. With the St Johns team, everyone had a turn using the bag mask and doing advanced CPR (2 mins each and then switching to the next person), similar to the real world where you work in a team to manage a patient.” (Photo right: Students practice advanced CPR with the St Johns team at Rescue Helicopter.)
Students also practised advanced CPR and team-based care, mirroring real-world rural emergencies. For many, it was their first opportunity to apply classroom learning in a practical setting. “One of the most interesting parts of the tiki tour was definitely the emergency first aid in the bush.”
“It was great to get hands-on and rescue our very first ‘patient’.”
Students agreed the experience was both eye-opening and rewarding. One student shared, “I liked the fact that we didn’t know what to expect within the emergency aspects of the rescue scenario. It was also cool to get an idea of the smaller hospitals that exist in a rural setting as they had very different vibe from the big city, they were very welcoming and homely and you get to do loads of hands-on work!”
“I really enjoyed going to Te Anau and the peaceful vibe it had compared to the city. I loved playing bowls and learning about Steve’s life as a rural GP, and the some of the opportunities it brings him that are unique to living in a small town like Te Anau,” another student says.
The tour has left a lasting impression, strengthening students’ connection to rural medicine and inspiring them to consider careers serving these remote communities.
“We brought 30 medical students on our trip, but there was a lot more who missed out because we didn’t have enough spots to bring everyone…”
(Main photo: The students outside the HeliOtago rescue helicopter hangar in Mosgiel)