Osteopathic Students Outback Experience

Early this year 11 RMIT osteopathic students expressed interest in giving up a week of their July holidays to provide osteopathic treatment. When told they’d be travelling over 1,000 kilometres to the remote town of Brewarrina in north-western NSW and camping in the bush all were still keen to go.

The aim of the Brewarrina trip was to build on the work that Hands On Health began in the Brewarrina community in 1999. Hands On Health provide health and other services to people who are socially and financially disadvantaged. Outreach clinics have been established in a variety of locations from the Brunswick Clinic in Melbourne to the rural location of Mildura and even in the Philippines. The success of the clinics relies on having them staffed by local people trained in various modalities of need in the community. One of the long-term aims of the Brewarrina Outreach Program is to encourage local community members to engage in health training, making the town more self sufficient in its health services.

Gaining acceptance in a country town, particularly one with such a high aboriginal population, is not always easy. Hands On Health is fortunate to have the friendship of local aboriginal elder Paul Gordon. Over the last 3 years I have visited Brewarrina on several occasions and chiropractor Greg Taylor from Sydney has travelled most school holidays to provide chiropractic care to the community. With friendship and acceptance established the timing was right to bring this group of 11 osteopathic students to the town offering osteopathic care.

The clinical experience gained by the students working in Brewarrina was enormous. They experienced working in a remote area which lacked the medical support we take for granted in cities and less remote towns. They experienced a diverse range of conditions specific to remote populations and aboriginal communities. In Brewarrina you can be presented with conditions learnt about at University and very rarely seen in practice. Students experienced first hand the poor state of health of the aboriginal population. We all know the statistics about the high incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease in aboriginal populations. When every aboriginal patient we saw either had diabetes or high blood pressure or had parents suffering from it, it becomes a very sad reality.

The cultural experience gained by the students during this time working in Brewarrina was unique. Most aboriginal people of the town who came for treatment were willing to share with the students their life stories – many heart wrenching and sad. To meet and talk to someone who’s grandmother was from the Stolen Generation. To hear first hand the stories of life on the Brewarrina Mission. To listen to the stories told by aboriginal elder Paul Gordon about the far reaching connection his family has to the land. A very special and privileged position to be in.

After a day spent treating in Brewarrina it was obvious that what the students were giving to the people of the town was invaluable. Knowing that the students had given up holiday time to travel to their remote town and provide them with treatment created a very positive environment. One elderly lady, who rarely left her house, came for treatment and returned two days later for more. Her family was surprised and happy.

But the impact of the students’ visit goes deeper than that. Students may question the long-term impact their short visit may make. I believe it has the possibility to improve some patients’ lives immediately. Many of the patients seen were given exercise, dietary and postural advice. One lady returned for a follow up treatment and reported she had already started replacing water for the soft drinks she drank all day. And as one of the aboriginal health workers said “It is all positive steps towards aboriginal and non-aboriginal reconciliation”.

There is also the hope that this trip may encourage new graduates to consider the possibility of working in rural towns where Osteopaths and other manual therapists are always in demand.

Thank you to RMIT Osteopathic Department, RMIT Student Union, SOMA, COCA and Hands On Health for your support.

To the 11 students who made this trip the success it was, I thank you for being such a wonderful group of caring, understanding and hard working people.

Simone Marshall
Osteopath

Backrow: Clare McCardel, Anna Myers, Jane Burns, Anna Davies, Melijah Maghanoy, Christina Henderson, Kate Johns, Eddie & Brad
Frontrow: Laura Pfrunder, Simon French, Lara, Simone Marshall, Ben Lai & Joel Champion
Absent: Louise Greenaway