A spinal and brain injury specialist, Dr McQueen is one of many doctors recruited to combat a shortage of experienced medical practitioners in regional areas.

While hospitals and medical organisations are working hard to bring professionals to the area, they are fighting against prejudice entrenched among industry elites.

After four years at some of Australia’s best hospitals including Westmead, Prince of Wales and St Vincent’s, long hours away from home led Dr McQueen to seek a tree-change.

Now having moved to Wagga, Dr McQueen says all doctors should be exposed to rural life.

“I first came to Wagga in 2006 as an intern,” she said.

“The people were lovely, senior colleagues were very supportive and friendly and one of them even invited us over to their home for lunch, I was very impressed.”

While working in city hospitals had given her great experience in different ways of approaching patients, Dr McQueen said no-one had to twist her arm to come to move her life to Wagga.

Medical headhunter Joy Ross, who works out of Calvary Hospital recruiting medical specialists to Wagga, had placed an ad for a rehab specialist in a college newsletter and when she heard Dr McQueen was interested, she pounced.

“Every rural community that wants to recruit doctors needs to have a Joy Ross,” Dr McQueen said.

“Joy lined up houses to look at, called schools and arranged interviews, she’s a serious fixer.”

Since moving to Wagga, Dr McQueen said she’s been able to do more of the regular “mum duties”, like dropping her children off at school or going to concerts.

The move has been good for the children too, going into classes half the size of their city schools.

“They can do more activities now and we don’t have to worry about things like how long it takes to go somewhere or whether we can find a car park,” Dr McQueen said.

“You get to know the people you look after too, they travel a long way to see you and they deserve the same care as the patients in Sydney do.”