Growing up in Boorowa: With broom in hand, Juliet Crowe and her sister (left) help ‘Poppy’ and dad in the shearing shed. Photos: Juliet Crowe.
Some of Juliet Crowe’s strongest childhood memories of Boorowa paint a picture postcard of how growing up in a small town can make you forget about the world outside. For a while anyway.
Heading out to the farm with “my poppy” to feed the sheep, mucking in around the shed at shearing time, joining the family at Easter to cart and stack wood ready for winter.
Life was busy, but it wasn’t all work.
“The Boorowa races were always a favourite of mine,” Juliet says. “We would dress up for the day, watch the races and spend time with family and friends.
“Then there was the Boorowa Show and Woolfest when sheep would run down the main road and Mum would put one of her paintings into the art exhibition at the old courthouse. As a child, it all felt incredibly exciting.
“It gave me a real appreciation for the sense of belonging that exists in rural communities. People know each other, families grow up alongside one another and community events genuinely matter.”
Keeping the lambs in check: What else do you do in Boorowa? Plenty, says Juliet Crowe.
These childhood experiences also showed her the value of quality healthcare close to home.
“Growing up, we had one general practitioner who worked at the local practice and hospital.
“When my younger sister became unwell, he looked after her locally and helped organise her transfer to Sydney Children’s Hospital.
“I remember how important it was for my family to have someone local who knew us, and who we trusted.”
When the town’s long-serving GP retired, Juliet saw how difficult it was to replace that continuity of care.
“That experience has stayed with me and continues to shape how I think about rural healthcare.
“It showed me how important a local doctor could be.”
Now, a rural generalist at Ulladulla Medical Clinic and Milton Ulladulla Hospital, Juliet – “Dr Crowe” to most patients – continues that small-town community care.
“I value getting to know my patients and their families, building a good relationship and working together to improve their health over time.
“I also enjoy working across the medical clinic and hospital. You don’t just see the problem in front of you on the day; you get to see what happens afterwards.
“There’s something special about being able to provide that continuity of care and, where we can, keep people’s healthcare close to home.”
This feeling of connection has always been important.
“It’s why I’ve tried to get involved in the communities I’ve lived in.
“Medical school involved a lot of moving around. So wherever I ended up, I would try to join something local – often the local soccer team – and become part of the community rather than just living there for a short time.”
In Milton Ulladulla, Dr Crowe – “Juliet” in social circles – harmonises with the MUD Singers choir and has performed at one of the area’s many festivals.
“It reminds me a lot of what I loved about growing up in Boorowa – that feeling of being part of the community you live in.”
In tune with her community: Juliet Crowe (far left) in full song with the MUD Singers choir.
Alongside her clinical work, Dr Crowe supports medical students and registrars, helping prepare future rural generalists for careers in areas where they’re most needed.
So her answer comes as no surprise when asked what she would say to other early-career doctors considering regional medicine.
“I would absolutely encourage them,” she says. “There is sometimes a perception among young people that becoming a doctor is only for someone with an ATAR of 99.9 or an extraordinary ability to memorise huge amounts of information.
“Medicine certainly requires hard work and dedication, but information is more accessible than it has ever been. Some of the most important skills are being able to think critically, solve problems, communicate well and build trust with patients.
“Rural medicine gives you an incredible opportunity to develop those skills. You encounter an enormous breadth of medicine, become part of a community and see firsthand the difference your work makes.”
Building on a philosophy that began in Boorowa: Dr Juliet Crowe. Photo: ACRRM.
Dr Crowe has been selected to attend the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Emerging Leaders Conference in Adelaide from 18–20 October.
ACRRM president Dr Rod Martin says Dr Crowe’s commitment to rural healthcare and workforce development reflects the important role rural generalists play in communities outside the urban fringe.
For Dr Crowe, the conference provides an opportunity to listen, learn and build on a philosophy that began in Boorowa: rural healthcare is not simply about treating patients, it’s knowing the people and places you serve.
Original Article published by Paul Roberts on About Regional.
