NOBODY could accuse new medical intern Sophie Newsome of lacking an understanding of rural life.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Dr Newsome spent her summer fighting bushfires and feeding stock in the blazing heat.
Her family own a sheep and cattle farm at Dundee, north of Glen Innes.
"All the timber of the property was burnt and it comes on top of two years of really severe drought," she lamented.
Dr Newsome completed her medical degree in Port Macquarie in 2019.
Despite falling in love with Port Macquarie while studying in the town, she admits a little bit of her "heart" is back on the farm, knowing how tough people in Dundee are doing it.
It was her childhood on the farm, as the eldest of three girls, that sparked her interest in medicine.
"Growing up in a rural community I've always had an awareness of the rewards and challenges of working in rural healthcare," she said.
Her long-term goal is to become an anaesthetist but she is keeping her options open.
"There are a lot of opportunities at the hospital," she said.
In her spare time she is learning to surf.
"I am also a bit of a bookworm," Dr Newsome jokes.
Her favourite book? Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Dr Newsome was one of 11 new medical interns welcomed to Port Macquarie Base Hospital on Thursday, January 23 by Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams and Mid North Coast Local Health District Chief Executive Stewart Dowrick.
Another new intern Dr Lisa Morgan said she was attracted to Port Macquarie for her first year as a doctor because she wanted to work in a rural area.
"I had great experiences in rural country towns in the hospitals," she said.
Dr Morgan grew up in Penrith but did her medical placements at Lithgow and the Hawkesbury.
In her spare time you will find her at some of the local racetracks.
"I really like horse racing," she enthused.
Another intern Dr Tara Van Herten said she was "excited" to finally be a doctor.
"I still feel like a bit of an imposter but hopefully we will settle in soon," she confided in The Port News.
Dr Van Herten is no stranger to the region.
Despite growing up in Sydney she spent many holidays on the Mid-North Coast in Forster-Tuncurry where she has family.
"I really enjoy the lifestyle of the area and the working culture at the hospital seems really positive," she said.
What else is making news?
While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from the Port Macquarie News. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, SIGN UP HERE.