Australia is a beautiful country with unique scenery, awesome weather and loads of fun to be had, BUT…..
Unfortunately things may not turn out as planned. Some of our interns experience minor illness or injury while they’re here in Australia, and in rare cases, even more serious issues. Thankfully, another positive aspect to Australia is the first rate medical care available.
Australia’s medical system may be different to that of your home country, so here we try to assist you in navigating your way through to the correct procedure:
Emergency
If you are in a potential life threatening situation, then don’t waste any time reading this article, phone the Australian emergency number; 000
Minor Illness
So you’ve woken up and called in sick to your internship. Your throat is sore, your nose is blocked and you need some medicine to get you going again. The options available to you are:
Option 1: Go straight to a chemist store, and with the assistance of the store pharmacist, purchase some medication over the counter
Option 2: Either with or without a booking, attend your local medical centre, where you will be able to have an appointment with a Doctor who will diagnose your illness and prescribe you some medicine which may be stronger than you would be able to purchase directly at the chemist.
Major Illness
Things aren’t quite right and you feel a trip to the chemist won’t be enough to resolve your issue. This is when you should go straight to a medical centre (with or without an appointment). The Doctor at the centre will either prescribe you specific medicine, or they will write you a referral to see a specialist in the area that requires attention.
Please note that in many cases, you will not be able to see a specialist without a referral.
Injury
Surfing, sand boarding, wild nights out, camping, swimming, climbing, bike riding, and of course all the dangerous Australian animals that bite; increased adventure leads to an increase chance of injury. If you have a slip, bite or bump which is giving you some ongoing troubles then you have a few options depending on the severity:
Option 1 – Chemist: A pharmacist may prescribe some medication that could assist
Option 2 – Medical Centre: A Doctor may prescribe some medication or offer a referral to a specialist
Option 3 – Physiotherapist / Chiropractor: You can make an appointment directly without a referral
How to find the right medical care
Your options are as follows:
Option 1: Contact the Internships Down Under team for guidance
Option 2: Google your location and the medical treatment you require
Option 3: Healthshare; This is a one-stop website that will guide you to the medical/healthcare professional you need in a convenient location
Visit Healthshare
Cost
Australian residents and some visa sub-classes have access to the government health system known as Medicare. The majority of the interns we deal with travel to Australia on the 417 or 462 Visa which does not entitle them to Medicare. We highly recommend all interns hold a travel/medical insurance for the entire duration of their stay. This can be purchased through Internships Down Under here.
When you visit a medical centre or medical specialist, make sure to ask for a receipt as this will be required to make a claim through your insurance provider.
Please note: It is rare that travel insurance policies cover treatment for existing issues or mental health related expenses.
If you are thinking about suicide or experiencing a personal crisis, contact LifeLine on 13 11 14 or go to www.lifeline.org.au for more information.
Stay Safe!