Graduate’s passion for rural medicine has roots in field trip

A school visit to the University of Auckland’s medical school planted the seed of medical graduate Kate Dunstall’s passion for rural medicine.

Dunstall, who grew up and went to school in Waihi, graduates on 14 December 2023 with a medical degree (MBChB).

“When I was a Year Ten student, we had the opportunity to come to Auckland. We did some suturing with pig skin and went into Whakaaro Pai and saw some specimens in jars.

“We had these students talking to us and now I realise they were from Grassroots.

“I think that was the reason I want to do medicine.”

Kate says, in some ways, she has come full circle, having had leadership roles in the Grassroots Rural Health Club for the past four years.

Grassroots supports health sciences students who are interested in working rurally, with activities such as trips to remote parts of the country and overnight marae stays or noho marae.

“You get to see the really rural places and talk to the people who are working there,” Kate says.

Through 2023, Kate has been co-chair of a national group, Students of Rural Health Aotearoa, the student chapter of Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network.

This group also organises rural trips for health students where they visit schools.

“We explain to the kids what our roles are and the pathways into studying. It’s shedding light on what’s involved and bringing health into rural communities so it’s not so scary,” Kate says.

Associate Dean (Rural) Kyle Eggleton says, “Kate has thrown herself into
rural health and has contributed massively to rural initiatives at the
University. She has been a strong spokesperson for rural health.”

Considering rural and regional doctor shortages will weigh into her decisions for the future, although Kate wants to keep her options open for a while.

Not only that, but the rural visits proved inspiring, with doctors reporting the rewards of being truly part of the community, as well as being called on for a huge variety of work, including some gnarly cases and many unusual ones.

“One rural doctor had been called on to deliver sheep.”

Kate has been involved in rural paramedic care, in her home town of Waihi.

Kate started study with a year of health sciences at the University of Otago, but, along with many of her peers, didn’t get into medicine at that stage. She undertook a bachelor of science and then did succeed at getting into medicine at Auckland through the Regional Rural Admission Scheme.

Among regional placements, Kate spent fourth year in the Waikato Hospital, and fifth year in Whangārei Hospital on the Pūkawakawa Regional-Rural Programme, where she spent seven weeks in satellite hospitals in the Bay of Islands and Kawakawa.

One highlight of medical training was on a Raglan placement. Every fortnight a group of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, a mental health team and other healthcare workers travelled to a rural marae to offer free healthcare.

“People travelled long distances to attend who may otherwise not have presented for a health appointment,” Kate says.

“You can see all the barriers they are addressing in one go. If only more healthcare like that was funded, it would be so so good.”

Kate has also been learning te reo online through Te Wānanga , at level three this year.

All of which has fuelled Kate’s passion for rural medicine, which sees doctors working at the top of their scope, particularly in rural hospitals.

“There are fewer people, so you get more responsibility, more hands-on learning, you’re more of a team member.

It hasn’t been easy, but Kate would say to other young people contemplating a career in medicine to not give up on that dream, even though they will encounter seemingly insurmountable hurdles.

Kate helped collate feedback from school visits for Hauora Taiwhenua and says the themes were that rural teens face numerous barriers to studying medicine.

“I think a lot of them were reflecting on the session and saying, ‘I didn't know that there were these different options’ or ‘I didn't know that, coming from this school, I could go and do that’ or feeling it was so far away, it didn't seem achievable. And then talking about loneliness, cost barriers and needing to work to support people at home as well.

“So, I want to be encouraging for people to look into studying medicine and think, ‘Oh, I can do that.’”