Helen Smith had been a pharmacist for 17 years when she decided to take on a medicine degree. But with an aversion to cities and a family firmly entrenched in regional NSW, studying in a rural area was her preferred option. In this episode, Helen offers insights into the application and selection process — emphasising the importance of thorough preparation — and highlights the advantages of working in the rural area that she loves close to her family farm outside of Dubbo. And she encourages other mature-age students to apply because life experience can help make you a better student, and a better doctor.