Rural Immersion Placement Program - Allied Health (RIPPAH)

Life is about spreading your wings and experiencing all that this wonderful country has got to offer. We believe that if we look after each other, care for each other's needs, socialise with each other, that we can develop relationships. So it's very exciting as a professional out here to get that whole generalist approach. Generalism is around dealing with complexity and uncertainty, and really, in a sense, life is about complexity and uncertainty, so you expand yourself as a human being, and you actually are far better prepared for any of what life brings to you, let alone your professional life. So I think you will build those strong relationships. They won't diminish the relationships that you have back at home, but out here, you will actually develop a sense of community, and you'll actually start to realise that this might be home and can be home.

I grew up in a rural community, so I understood and from an early age, the complexities that accessing health for people in rural communities are and I really wanted to contribute to bettering that and providing access to care.

It's a point in the placement where it just clicks and you see that they feel as though they belong here, which makes it hard when they go to leave.

Southern Queensland Rural Health is so very pleased to be collaborating with the Queensland Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer and South West Hospital and Health Service for the RIPPAH program across south west Queensland. SQRH as a university department of rural health, is tasked with supporting students in rural placements across the region.

People are used to travelling so when they are delivered services in their local community, they're very thankful and appreciative, and you're highly valued so it's incredibly rewarding.
You will not meet more welcoming people who want to actually embrace health professionals and students when they come into communities in the south west.

I really like that the model is aiming to get students who are really interested in coming out here as well. I think it's really important for our students to actually become immersed in the community. We've had a number of people in the dietetics team alone that have actually done their placement here, and then come back and done either a local placement or they have got a permanent job here.

You know what I really loved about being out here as well, and being here for this length of time, is that we've been accepted as part of the community too which is really beautiful. I've really enjoyed building that relationship and finding how strong the community is out here in these rural areas.

I saw how being flexible with a health care approach can be really valuable for a community.

I think come with an open heart and an open mind, and your ears wide open to learn as much as you can about community and I guess the way things are may be done in smaller places.

Welcome to anyone who would consider joining this program, I urge you to consider it deeply because I think this will be a life changing event for you on a positive side, that you will come to experience another paradigm, that you will develop new relationships, that you’ll develop yourself, and that you’ll develop your professional skills and resilience.

If you're thinking about RIPPAH, I can only say go for it. It's an awesome opportunity.

My advice for anybody considering to apply for RIPPAH is to come.

It's the best experience, a great opportunity to grow as a person and as a student clinician.

The Rural Immersion Placement Program Allied Health, or RIPPAH as it's known, is a clinical education initiative designed for students who have a special interest in rural health and a desire to practice rurally following graduation. Students have the opportunity to express interest in a RIPPAH experience, to ensure those most enthusiastic about a career in rural health are provided with a pathway to live and work rurally. Students will be immersed in the community where they are offered opportunities including social activities, part time paid employment and sporting team membership, just to name a few. We are extremely excited to be able to offer this innovative model to our future allied health workforce.