Community
19 June, 2026
Hands-on learning inspires rural medical student
A MEDICAL student completing a placement has expressed interest in remaining rural after being inspired by the Camperdown community.
Matthew Harris is completing a placement through the Camperdown Clinic as part of his studies at Deakin Medical School.
The school offers students access to nine communities through its Victorian Rural Communities program, which allows third-year medical students to learn under an experienced rural clinical mentor.
Mr Harris said he made the change to rural medicine from working at The Royal Children’s Hospital as an infectious disease epidemiologist after feeling detached from communities impacted by his research.
“I was working on a population level and looking at impacts of vaccines and things like that, so it was very broad,” he said.
“I missed the community, the patient interactions and seeing the people that I was helping on a sort of individual basis.
“I really love the small community.
“Everyone knows everyone – I grew up in the country and so it very much reminds me of when I grew up and how everyone knew everyone down the street.
“In terms of the actual medical side of things, it’s the variety throughout the day in terms of what you get to see and give back to the community while also doing a bunch of different medicine at the hospital, the general practitioner (GP) clinic and other aspects as well.”
Students studying through Deakin Medical School’s Victorian Rural Communities program get guided access to urgent care, primary care and specialist medicine which enables them to see the full scope of practicing medicine rurally.
The students often work alongside doctors at the Camperdown Clinic, including Dr Edith Masih and Dr Ashutosh Singh.
Robinson Street Clinic’s Dr John Menzies OAM has also hosted many students over the years, sometimes seeing between two and four students at a time.
Mr Harris said the support he had received from the Camperdown Clinic staff had been “incredible”.
“They’re all very knowledgeable but incredibly supportive of my transition and moving as the only student in the town,” he said.
“After doing a couple of years in Geelong, I worry about being isolated, but they’ve been so supportive with that transition and also very generous with their time and have demonstrated how committed they are to their community and the people I work with.
“I’ve been here for five months now, and I’ve learned an incredible amount from all of them.
“I have to go back for my final year in Geelong, but I definitely see myself returning to rural practice in some way.
“I love Camperdown, it’s definitely one of the towns where I felt most connected to the community.”
Mr Harris said he had been thrilled to have the opportunity to study in a rural town such as Camperdown.
“I think it’s good to highlight the unique part of medical school because it’s a much smaller part of the Deakin Medical School, but it’s a really great option for people who live in the area and want to train and practice rurally,” he said.
“People who live here can study in Warrnambool, but then do their years in small towns like Camperdown.
“It’s a really great way to get a lot more hands-on and involved in patient care and learn a lot faster in terms of how you actually build tour patient skills and interacting with the community.”
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