Dr Sofia Dominguez is currently training at Central Wagga Medical as part of her three-year journey to becoming a rural GP and hopes to work here into the future. Originally from Melbourne, she initially pursued general surgery but kept coming back to general practice, and decided that's what she wants to pursue - right here in Wagga.

"It really came back to me thinking I'd be able to combine community health - that kind of lifelong relationship with your patient - with a little bit of surgery, because you've got extended skills in general practice."

Dr Dominguez has been visiting the Riverina for more than a decade, first to visit her now-husband's family farm in Tarcutta and eventually coming back permanently to study at Notre Dame's clinical school.

"It was a small cohort, we got to know all of the other doctors and specialists that were helping train us as medical students and I really couldn't imagine going anywhere else for my internship and residency," she said.

Dr Dominguez said that rural medicine wasn't for everyone - especially those who needed the fast-paced, ever-changing lifestyle of a big city - but those who were committed to it could thrive and have fulfilling careers.

"[Rural medicine is] not a backup plan, it's a lifestyle choice," she said.

"I really think that most people when they come here on a rotation and they give it a go as young doctors, they really do enjoy being here." There are currently 74 GP registrars in the Murrumbidgee.

- EMILY WIND