Internship Guide 2020 - Updated

It all moves differently down here. The “Apple Isle”. The “cold Ibiza”. The “fresh air state”. With a similar land
mass, population and regal vibe to the likes of Iceland, Tassie has a lavish charm amongst its icy shores. A
boiling pot of artisans, fuelled in the background by the notorious Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). A
pioneering research destination, including the powerhouse Menzies Institute. A plethora of outdoor wonders
that will leave you slapped in the face by nature (pick your element – there will be a sport to match!) Not to
mention, one of the only gateways to the place beyond the beyond… Antarctica. Tassie is fizzing with reasons
to live here. But what is it like to work as a newly graduated doctor, you ask?
Tassie offers a dynamic selection of opportunities as an intern across its three hospital locations. At the
North West Regional Hospital (NWRH), a rural focused medical service is provided to the whole North West
of the state. Experiences vary from what some call the “trifecta” on King island (crowdless waves, cheese, and
medicine) to the hands-on, get your hands dirty (knowledge rather than over-investigation) vibe of the NWRH.
Alternatively, the Launceston General Hospital offers a stepped-up, regional, tertiary hospital level work style,
with all those community feels that can be lost in big cities. Finally, the Royal Hobart Hospital, as a fully-fledged,
capital city, tertiary level provider, exposes you to those more specialised areas of medicine, as well as catering
for the state’s most serious cases. The application process is relatively simple, consisting of an interview and
the submission of two referee reports from consultant clinicians, with the focus on the interview (apparently).
Across the state, wherever you end up, you may find you don’t want to leave!
So far, I have had the opportunity to work in both Emergency and Orthopaedic Surgery at the Royal Hobart
Hospital (RHH), and it’s been blooming brilliant. As an art-buff-idiot, with one hand in the hospital and one in the
sea, I couldn’t imagine another place I would rather work.
Dr Linden Scholes
Royal Hobart Hospital (PGY1)
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