MEET Christie Rodda, Beechworth's newest doctor.

We in the country love young general practitioners such as Christie and want more of them, but apparently they're just not into us.

No offence intended. We know the story. We're used to rejection.

We all thought it was because our schools failed to offer choice for their kids. Or, our after-hours demands are too high. Or without birthing units and surgical theatres, we just don't cut it.

Christie, who grew up on a 324ha property in the Yarra Valley and attended a school of 19, adds another point.

Most of her single, late 20s and early 30s medico mates think their spousal prospects aren't good in the bush. They don't want to come out here alone.

"It's really off-putting to come to a town like Beechworth on your own," she says.

Harrumph! Such presumptions those young doctors make! We're gorgeous, smart and rich (in various ways) and not at all predatory when educated smart singles with status and the potential to make money arrive among us are we?

All this aside, practising medicine in the country has been a brilliant turn for one of Christie's mentors, fellow Beechworth general practitioner Wendy Connor.

Wendy arrived from the big smoke, safely married, 21 years ago.

She is one of five females among the town's nine doctors.

"When I first came here, people would call me sister," she laughs.

"I can remember one old guy coming in. We did the history and examination and I told him what I thought and advised him about treatment. He listened all the way through and then said 'thanks sister, I'll come and see the real (i.e. male) doctor tomorrow'. The funny thing is now the old guys won't see the males now."

Wendy's been a swell gal, the kind of gem any town would welcome.

She was on the kindergarten and childcare committees, the school council and the board of Ovens and King Community Health.

She and hubby Rik were instrumental in introducing recycling - she recalls driving the streets collecting newspapers so they wouldn't be dumped in the tip.

More recently she's helped establish a formal friendship between the Indigo Shire and the people of Atauro Island in East Timor.

"I've done lots of things I never would have done in the city," Wendy says.

Her home overlooks a gorge offering beauty and peace. She loves riding her bike and walks most days.

She describes country doctoring as fabulous. Last year she won a Victorian Rural Doctors Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Communities.

So Christie, could you pass this on to your single and married mates in medicine and tell them we're not such a bad lot out in the bush.

We've very nice places to walk and work can be a whisker from home.

Nominations for this year's Victorian Rural Doctors Awards close July 30.

Check the categories and find nomination forms by clicking here and then nominate your doc to show how much you really appreciate them!