The North West Hospital and Health Service (North West HHS) in partnership with the James Cook University Murtupuni Centre for Rural and Remote Health (MCRRH) has introduced an innovative program to attract and expose Allied Health students to life and work in remote areas.

Commencing at the end of July, the first participants to join the North West based Rural Immersion Placement Program – Allied Health (RIPPAH) included four speech pathologists from Griffith University, Australian Catholic University, and Southern Cross University, plus two pharmacy students from Griffith University.

This number is expected to grow with sixteen RIPPAH students planned for the North West region next year.

All students will undertake ten weeks or more of placement based in Mount Isa with visits to outreach communities in collaboration with RIPPAH partners such as North West Remote Health and Gidgee Healing.

Acting Executive Director of Allied Health Services, Elyse Mugridge, said the RIPPAH initiative addresses the barriers students may experience when seeking to develop their skills in rural and remote areas for Allied Health.

“RIPPAH is about attracting those passionate about rural and remote health to be immersed in the North West region and experience the supportive community atmosphere rather than only participating in clinical practice placement,” Ms Mugridge said.

“This program aims to remove barriers and provide comprehensive support, enabling students to complete clinical placements and pursue careers in remote Queensland after graduation.”

RIPPAH has been developed in collaboration with MCRRH and the Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer (OCAHO) over the past year following on from initial success of the RIPPAH initiative in rural and remote areas of South West Queensland.

MCRRH provided free accommodation to every RIPPAH student along with student bursary, with the OCAHO sponsoring a project lead to facilitate the planning, implementation and evaluation of RIPPAH to ensure it is sustainable and meets the needs of health service partners.

The RIPPAH program is available to Allied Health students who specifically expressed a desire and a passion for pursuing a rural health career.

Students apply via the RIPPAH website the year prior to their clinical placements, with early application rounds already reflecting RIPPAH as a highly contested and sought-after clinical placement opportunity.

“Through the program, students are fully immersed in the community where they are offered placement; including social activities, part-time paid employment, and links to social teams to highlight the social and personal benefits of living in our rural and remote communities,” Ms Mugridge said.

North West HHS has a strong history of providing quality student placements, but they are often limited to two to six weeks in duration, so its exciting to be working together with universities and our local partners to provide positive extended placement experiences – as the evidence tells us that’s what translates into building the future rural health workforce.”

Sophie Tucker, a speech pathology student from Griffith University, is originally from a rural area, and has just started her ten-week placement shared across the North West HHS, Private Practice, and Catholic Education.

“Having been raised on a farm and lived regionally for most of my life I appreciate the rural lifestyle and associated community engagement,” Ms Tucker said.

“It is my intention to work rurally following my graduation, the opportunities provided by RIPPAH will be beneficial to my professional development.

“I relish the opportunity to work across different settings (hospital and education), with a variety of multidisciplinary team members and various clients.

“I believe this will be an aspect of placement experience which I would not be afforded within a city-based placement and will be advantageous to my future practice.”

Applications for 2025 RIPPAH placements across various rural and remote regions in Queensland are open now via the RIPPAH website.

For more information

• How to apply for RIPPAH – https://www.careers.health.qld.gov.au/allied-health-careers/rural-immersion-placement-program-allied-health-rippah
• James Cook University Murtupuni Centre for Rural and Remote Health see: https://www.crrh.jcu.edu.au/