Camille Talbott never set out to build a career far from home. She went straight to university from high school, enrolling in nursing at Murdoch University with a broad sense that she wanted to help people.

What she didn't know was that a single decision, made halfway through her degree, would quietly redraw the shape of her life.

In her second year, Murdoch University offered nursing students the option of rural placements – not as a niche pathway, but as a fully supported part of the course.

"They offered this massive list of locations," Camille recalled.

"All these towns, all these dates, all these different areas. You just preferenced where you wanted to go."

On a hunch, she chose Laverton – a remote town a 12-hour drive from Perth – and spent four weeks there. It would reshape how she saw her future.

"I had an absolute blast. It was so amazing," she said.

She followed it with another rural placement in Geraldton, and by the time third-year arrived, her interest in regional healthcare ran deep. She was drawn to the closeness of care, the visible impact, and the sense that what she did genuinely mattered to the community around her.

That was when one of her lecturers got in touch with an opportunity that would confirm the direction she took after university.

"She called me and said, 'there's this opportunity with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. We're trying to build a partnership program, and I really think this would be great for you.'"

The lecturer, Helen Dugmore, knew Camille personally through the course and was aware of her interest in rural and remote health. She also trusted Camille's instincts and encouraged her to apply.

The four‑week placement with the RFDS confirmed what Camille already felt.

I loved it. You're learning from people who have built their careers around helping those who are hours away from the nearest hospital.

The experience left a lasting impression – not just professionally, but personally.

"That experience still drives me today to advocate for my patients, regardless of their needs and location," she said.

It was then and there that she decided to go rural and after graduating, Camille packed up her life in Perth and moved north to Karratha.

"All my friends and family are back home," she said.

"That part was hard. But you learn they're only a phone call away. And everyone up here is here for the same reason. People are incredibly supportive."

She completed her graduate program in the Pilbara and was offered a permanent role in Karratha. Now working in child and adolescent health, Camille sees the impact of her work every week.

"The parents are so grateful," she said.

"They know that in rural areas, we often go above and beyond because we don't have huge referral services and they also know that without our service, the town wouldn't exist."

Nursing was never an abstract career choice for her. As a teenager, she spent time in hospital while struggling with her mental health – an experience that shaped how she understands care today.

"That showed me how powerful a simple conversation can be," she said.

"You can spend an hour talking to someone and they remember it for the rest of their life."

That insight now shapes how she works with children.

"Being gentle and kind affects how kids see healthcare for the rest of their lives. That really matters."

She leans into this ethos to build relationships with children and families over long periods, committed to helping them improve their health and their lives.

"When they're going through a rough patch, it's hard – you're invested. But when things change, and you start seeing them less because they're doing better, that's when you know you've done your part."

Some of these moments stay with her longer than others.

Camille works a lot with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living with rheumatic heart disease, many of whom require monthly injections and years of monitoring before surgery becomes possible.

"You see them every month," she said.

"You talk to them, you get to know them. And when they finally get the surgery they've been waiting for, you're just so happy for them. It's really special."

Looking back, Camille credits Murdoch University not just with preparing her professionally, but with backing her instincts when others questioned them.

"I was told so many times, 'Don't go rural straight out of uni – it'll be bad for your education and development,'" she said.

So having someone like Helen in my corner, telling me to stick with my gut and that if I hated it, I could always move home, made all the difference.

But that day hasn't come. She doesn't regret her choice for a moment.

"I'm exactly where I need to be. There are still so many areas of nursing I want to explore. But this – this feels right."

For students weighing their options, Camille's advice is simple: take the rural placement. It shows you a version of your profession you won't see elsewhere – closer to people, closer to impact.

It's the choice that led her north and the one that continues to shape the way she cares each day.

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