An international student who was born in India and grew up in Kuwait, Karunya Subramaniyan was well into an engineering degree in Singapore when she saw a poster that changed her life. She calls it her “eureka” moment. The advertisement was calling on engineers to consider postgraduate study in medicine, a career path Karunya had always thought was beyond her reach.

With extended family in NSW, she applied to, and was accepted by, the University of Sydney. After hearing glowing reports from her peers, and with fond memories of her father’s rural village in southern India, Karunya chose to undertake a rural placement in Dubbo, and it lived up to her high expectations. Here, she says, she was integrated into the hospital team much faster than would have happened in a bigger city, that she felt instant camaraderie, and has experienced “heaps” of teaching and clinical experience.

Her advice to any other young student — particularly international students — is to “just go for it,” because rural placement is something everyone should experience.

An international student who was born in India and grew up in Kuwait, Karunya Subramaniyan was well into an engineering degree in Singapore when she saw a poster that changed her life. She calls it her “eureka” moment. The advertisement was calling on engineers to consider postgraduate study in medicine, a career path Karunya had always thought was beyond her reach.
With extended family in NSW, she applied to, and was accepted by, the University of Sydney. After hearing glowing reports from her peers, and with fond memories of her father’s rural village in southern India, Karunya chose to undertake a rural placement in Dubbo, and it lived up to her high expectations. Here, she says, she was integrated into the hospital team much faster than would have happened in a bigger city, that she felt instant camaraderie, and has experienced “heaps” of teaching and clinical experience.
Her advice to any other young student — particularly international students — is to “just go for it,” because rural placement is something everyone should experience.

Opportunities for a successful medical career in rural Australia are immense. The Destination Medicine© podcast library has been created to assist anyone who has thought about a career as a rural doctor to make informed decisions and navigate a rural medical pathway with greater confidence.

Each episode of this podcast series brings the story of a doctor and their journey into rural medicine. It hasn't been a straight highway for many; there have been a few bumps, U-turns and bends along the way. How did a city slicker end up living on a farm in the Riverina of NSW? And what happened to the young doctor who had a life changing moment on an isolated highway in the Northern Territory? Well, you will have to listen to find out...and there's more.

With over 23 specialities, 81 fields of speciality practice and 86 speciality titles, making career decisions can seem overwhelming for medical students and junior doctors. For some it is an easy decision, having always known the area in which they want to work, however, for others, the plethora of information and complex selection and admission criteria for training, is daunting.

Our doctors share their candid and fascinating stories so that you, the listener, can have a better understanding of what's involved in pursuing a rural career pathway. Lifestyle counts - and for those who are living in rural and remote Australia, the impact is immeasurable. 

The podcast series, 'Destination Medicine' is a collaboration between four rural NSW Regional Training Hubs - Far West, Riverina, Western and Northern NSW.

Opportunities for a successful medical career in rural Australia are immense. The Destination Medicine© podcast library has been created to assist anyone who has thought about a career as a rural doctor to make informed decisions and navigate a rural medical pathway with greater confidence.
Each episode of this podcast series brings the story of a doctor and their journey into rural medicine. It hasn't been a straight highway for many; there have been a few bumps, U-turns and bends along the way. How did a city slicker end up living on a farm in the Riverina of NSW? And what happened to the young doctor who had a life changing moment on an isolated highway in the Northern Territory? Well, you will have to listen to find out...and there's more.
With over 23 specialities, 81 fields of speciality practice and 86 speciality titles, making career decisions can seem overwhelming for medical students and junior doctors. For some it is an easy decision, having always known the area in which they want to work, however, for others, the plethora of information and complex selection and admission criteria for training, is daunting.
Our doctors share their candid and fascinating stories so that you, the listener, can have a better understanding of what's involved in pursuing a rural career pathway. Lifestyle counts - and for those who are living in rural and remote Australia, the impact is immeasurable. 
The podcast series, 'Destination Medicine' is a collaboration between four rural NSW Regional Training Hubs - Far West, Riverina, Western and Northern NSW.

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