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Doctor Bruce Chater has happily worked in rural areas all his life.
And he wants others to do the same.
“I’ve been working for really 30 years to try and get the evidence base for what works for getting doctors out into rural areas. And really, it comes down to inspiration,” he explains.
Chater is going to retire, so he’s handing in the keys to the Theodore Medical Centre.
Following in his footsteps: Elizabeth Clarkson.
“It almost brings tears to my eyes, I’m really proud of Liz, she’s got the right stuff,” says Chater.
Two years ago, Clarkson arrived in Theodore and started working as a GP.
“They’re certainly big shoes to step into. But it’s exciting,” says Clarkson.
Clarkson, her husband and their one-year-old daughter are very pleased to be part of the local community.
“I’m really happy that I’m raising my daughter and we’ve got another one on the way, in a really nice small town,” says Clarkson.
Technically, the center where Chater and Clarkson work has two-and-a-half full-time doctors.
But Chater believes every town should have at least three doctors for a medical practice to be efficient.
“You need that to allow adequate time off. You get less than two doctors out of that, by the time they have their leave,” explains Chater.
Theodore has a well-staffed medical practice but that’s unusual for a rural town in Australia.
Many of its counterparts in the rest of the country are finding it hard to attract and keep doctors.
“That can be improved significantly, though, if we can ensure that rural careers are as attractive as other careers in medicine,” says Matt Nasel of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland.
Clarkson hopes to inspire others to follow in Doctor Chater and her footsteps by turning the bush into their new office.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.