Third Year in the [Rock]hamptons

Getting there ▪Flights: $180 return, down to $130 when on sale ▪Car: $60 for petrol one way

Rockhampton ▪Population: 62,000 ▪Beef Capital of Australia ▪Biggest town in Central Queensland

Rockhampton Base Hospital ▪Services all of Central Queensland ▪246 beds, employs 200 doctors ▪Specialist services in ear, nose and throat surgery, gynaecology, orthopaedics, urology, obstetrics, oncology, paediatrics and psychiatry ▪New 9 level building that will house Integrated Cancer Centre, 20 oncology beds, 32 generic beds ready by end of 2014

▪Stocklands ▪Next byte, K-mart, Portmans ▪Bunnings, Amart Allsports ▪24 hour gym 5 mins away ▪$400/year ▪Classes (pump, body attack etc.), 50m pool, squash court

Accommodation ▪Units on 78 Canning Street ▪4 people per unit ▪Fully furnished ▪2 car ports under house ▪$500 per semester

▪King Single bed ▪Corkboard, shelves ▪Bed-side table ▪Each room has an ensuite ▪Guest bathroom downstairs Bedrooms

▪Can borrow all core textbooks for the rotation ▪Study rooms ▪24 hour access ▪Marg, the librarian, is the best Library

Common Room ▪Ping pong table! ▪4 computers ▪Printer ▪Desks and chairs to study ▪Whiteboard

Can easily live in Rockhampton without a car ▪Mental Health, Surgery and Med rotations are all at the hospital ▪GP rotation can be done at Allenstown (walking distance)

▪Rocky Show (comes with a Public Holiday)

▪Rockhampton Zoo and Botanic Gardens

▪Mt Archer

▪Byfield ▪Yeppoon

▪Great Keppel Island

▪Capricorn Caves

▪Blackdown Tableland National Park

Rotations in Third Year ▪5 students per rotation ▪Mental health ▪Ward, Acute care, Adolescent Service, Geriatric, Outpatient clinic ▪Surgery ▪Scrub in and assist in every surgery ▪Medicine ▪You will become a part of the medical team, not just an observer ▪GP ▪Placement organized for you by RCS

The Bad ▪Being away from Brisbane ▪Furthest RCS from Brisbane means it isn’t possible to go home every weekend. ▪Not all specialties are offered at the hospital (more of an issue if you stay for 4 th year). ▪More complex cases are often transferred to Brisbane.