For the fourth year in a row, medical student Shannon Nott will host the Rural Appreciation Weekend on his family’s mixed farming property at Dunedoo, an hour’s drive from Dubbo.

About 100 university students destined for careers in health will converge on the property this Labour Day long weekend, bringing the number of participants in the annual weekend since its inception to 400.

Shannon, who is co-chair of the National Rural Health Students’ Network, sees the weekend as a way of making a difference to the shortage of doctors and other health workers in rural and remote Australia.

“Being a country boy at heart, I could not think of a better way to get students interested in rural and remote health,” he said.

“By giving students first-hand positive experiences in country Australia we can open their eyes to the lifestyle benefits of rural practice.”

This weekend the future doctors, nurses and allied health professionals will muster cattle, shear sheep and swap yarns around the campfire.

They’ll also hear from rural health workers including Dr Peter Brendt of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and join celebrations for the centenary of the Dunedoo railway.

Shannon, who is studying medicine at the University of NSW, was this year’s NSW state finalist in the Young Australian of the Year Awards.