Mathew Amprayil and Chun Wah (Brian) Chui will spend nine weeks in Ceduna, gaining practical experience in obstetrics, pediatrics, geriatrics and general practice.

Five of their fellow medical students are currently working in Port Lincoln, and when Mathew and Brian have finished their time in Ceduna, they will rotate and two of their colleagues will come to work in Ceduna.

GP Kathy Love will provide supervision for registrar in training Niranja Colombarachch, who is married to Ceduna’s anaesthetic GP, Dr AJ Senevirathna.

University of Adelaide representative Dr David Mills said plans to introduce medical student training to Ceduna began two years ago when the Ceduna Hospital was being rebuilt.

He said he hopes that the training program will help to address the shortage of doctors in country Australia.

“All the medical students are volunteers and motivated, self-directed learners,” he said.

“We want them to be involved with the community, sport and clubs so they know what it’s like to be part of a rural community.”

Dr Mills said that the interns had found Ceduna to be very welcoming, and hopes that if student doctors have positive experiences here then more will want to come and work in Ceduna in the future.