Building a regional medical workforce

Charles Sturt marked a defining moment for regional healthcare with the graduation of the first cohort from the joint program in medicine, delivered in partnership with Western Sydney University. The inaugural group of 38 students has now completed the program, with more than 80 per cent preparing to begin their medical careers in rural and regional communities. Their achievement represents an important step towards addressing long-standing inequities in healthcare access in rural and regional NSW.

The milestone coincides with Charles Sturt gaining accreditation from the Australian Medical Council to independently deliver the Bachelor of Clinical Science (Medicine) / Doctor of Medicine. This positions the university as one of the few regional institutions able to train doctors from commencement to graduation, strengthening the pipeline of clinicians committed to serving our regions. The recent addition of 10 Commonwealth Supported Places, bringing the annual total to 47, further expands opportunities for aspiring medical students to train closer to home and practise locally.

The program’s impact is reflected not only in graduate outcomes but also in national recognition. Two students from the first cohort, Chloe Campbell and Heidi Annand, were named ACRRM Medical Students of the Year for New South Wales and Victoria. Their achievements highlight the quality of regionally grounded training and the leadership emerging from the program.

Students completed thousands of hours of clinical placement across regional NSW and Victoria, developing the skills, relationships and community understanding essential for rural medical practice. As this first cohort transitions into the workforce, they carry forward a shared commitment to improving health outcomes for regional Australians; fulfilling the program’s goal of training doctors where they are needed most.