Accommodation and financial considerations for rural and remote placements
Accommodation
It's important to consider the student’s accommodation options.
- Work based facility – e.g. hospital accommodation
- Private – the student may be able to make private arrangements, by staying with relatives
- Short term rental – is it possible for the student to rent accommodation for a short period?
- Billeting – Are there any local community or church groups that may be able to help with accommodation?
The student needs to be aware of the costs and conditions associated with their accommodation while on placement.
Getting around
If the student is not taking their own car on placement, it may be more difficult to get around as there may be limited public transport. Before placement, the student should be informed on:
- The distance between your accommodation and where you will be working
- How far it is to shops and other facilities
- What public transport is available
- If other transport options are available (e.g. bike hire or maybe you could borrow a bike)
The 3 Rivers Department of Rural Health (Charles Sturt University) provides an informative webpage: Safe driving on country roads
Financial
A barrier to going on a rural and remote placement may be the financial cost. It is important for both supervisors and students to think about how the costs of accommodation, living costs and travel will be covered. One option might be for the student to apply for a scholarship.
