Southern NSW Local Health District (SNSWLHD) welcomed 53 junior medical officers (JMO) to the region in February, one of whom, Katherine Nguyen, is placed at the Cooma Health Service.

The JMO's are providing care to patients, and supporting health staff across several district sites.

These junior doctors have finished their medical degrees and are now undertaking a supervised year of clinical practice to achieve general registration.

Throughout this time, they will work with and learn from experienced clinicians across one of the world’s leading health systems.

Dr Katherine Nguyen of Canberra is currently completing a three-month rotation at Cooma Hospital.

"I specifically chose Cooma for this term because I’d heard great things from previous interns," she said.

"I actually had to interview to get my top preferences allocated to me, including Cooma. What really appealed to me was the variety of experiences available - from managing patients on the ward, to spending time in theatre and learning practical skills like airway management, as well as working in the Bombala Street Surgery GP clinic. "It’s been a great opportunity to see how medicine is practised both in the hospital and in the community," Dr Nguyen said.

Originally from Vietnam, Dr Nguyen has lived in Canberra for the past 10 years, where she completed her undergraduate degree and medical school.

"I chose medicine because I’ve always been interested in science and maths, and I eventually realised after undergraduate that I also wanted a career that is intellectually challenging while allowing me to support people during some of their most vulnerable moments.

"In the future, I’m hoping to specialise in critical care, particularly ICU and anaesthetics, and I’m very interested in retrieval medicine."

Dr Nguyen eventually hopes to become involved in international medical work, such as mission-based or humanitarian care in resource-limited settings, including organisations like Médecins Sans Frontières.

"What I enjoy most about being a doctor is the opportunity to meet a wide range of people and hear their stories. While we can’t solve every problem, it’s rewarding to be able to make a meaningful difference, even in very small ways."

Working and living rural is something Dr Nguyen is hoping to follow long-term.

"I am definitely keen to work in a rural or regional setting in the future, especially given the need for critical care services in these areas.

"So far, my experience at Cooma has been incredibly positive. I really value the strong team environment - you get to know everyone well, from nurses to allied health staff, and even your patients. It creates a much more connected and supportive workplace compared to larger metropolitan hospitals."

Dr Nguyen will finish her three-month rotation at the end of April.

"I will continue the rest of my residency in Canberra. After that, I’m hoping to apply for further training positions," she said.

According to Cooma Health Service site manager and director of nursing and midwifery, Donna Saddler, the JMO placement in Cooma is very popular and tightly contested.

"The JMOs do a three-month rotation with us, working on the in-patient ward with our senior ward doctors and the director of pre-vocational education and training (DPET) for support," Ms Saddler said.

"They also have the ability to gain experience through the emergency department, theatres, and other specialties of interest as opportunities arise."

Cooma DPET, Dr Jae Lee, was a participant of the JMO program in Cooma several years ago and now provides educational leadership and advocacy for trainees in the program.

"Our JMO program has successfully led to a number of doctors returning to Cooma to continue their career," Ms Saddler said.

"The feedback received from participants is pre-dominantly positive.

"The JMO is acknowledged as a key member of the multi-disciplinary team and they have all integrated quickly in to the workplace and the community. Most of our recent JMOs have enjoyed community activities like line dancing at the bowling club and have commented on the local spirit within the Snowy Mountains area."

SNSWLHD chief executive, Margaret Bennett, is grateful the 53 junior doctors chose to pursue a career within SNSWLHD.

"They will play a critical role in supporting the community in Southern NSW, and I wish them the very best on this exciting next step in their careers,” she said.

The junior doctors' two-year contracts include rotations across metropolitan, regional and rural hospitals to broaden their experience. They will also rotate through specialties such as surgery, medicine and emergency medicine.