Meet the state award winners for the 2026 ACRRM Excellence Awards
Rural and remote communities thrive because of people who go above and beyond.
ACRRM is proud to announce the state recipients of the 2026 Excellence Awards, recognising remarkable leadership, clinical excellence, teaching and supervision, innovation, and community impact.
Click below to see the state winners for the following awards:
Medical Student of the Year
Registrar of the Year
Rural Generalist of the Year
Rural Generalist Medical Educator of the Year
Supervisor of the Year
All state recipients went into the running for the national award for their respective
R U OK? – Distance should never be a reason to struggle alone
ACRRM is urging Australians to look out for their mates, families and neighbours this R U OK? Day, as figures highlight the disparity in suicide rates between metropolitan and remote Australia.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the suicide rate in remote and very remote Australia is almost two-and-a-half times the rate in major cities.
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says the figures are a reminder of why starting a conversation matters.
“Behind every one of those statistics is a person, a family, a group of mates and often an entire community,” Dr Martin says.
“Those of us who live and work in rural communities know how closely connected they are. When someone is struggling, and particularly when a life is lost, the impact can reach right across a town."
ACRRM Rural Generalists recognised at the AIDA 2026 Conference
Dr Samara McNeil, who completed her ACRRM Fellowship training, received her framed Gold stethoscope which symbolises the history and future of First Nations medicine, as each additional doctor and Fellow works to change the landscape of healthcare across Australia.
Dr Louis Peachey, Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association founding President and ACRRM Life Fellow was presented with the inaugural Uncle Louis Peachey Lifetime Achievement Award, an award named in honour of his legacy and recognising outstanding contribution, leadership and advocacy in Indigenous health and medicine.
The AIDA Conference brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors, medical students and health professionals to connect, share experiences and celebrate achievements across Indigenous health and medicine.
We’re incredibly proud to have Dr McNeil and Dr Peachey as part of the ACRRM community and to see their leadership, service and contribution recognised in this way.
Congratulations, Samara and Uncle Louis!
Don't miss out - member networking event in Alice Springs
Sunday 27 September 2026 from 7:30am to 8:30am | Register by 18 September
If you're in Alice Springs for the RDAA NT Rural & Remote Medicine Conference, join us for breakfast on Sunday morning and meet Dr Jasmine Banner, your Northern Territory College Council representative.
With experience across obstetrics, emergency, general practice and remote community clinics, Jasmine knows firsthand the rewards and challenges of rural and remote medicine in the NT. This is a great opportunity to meet Jasmine, hear about her experiences and perspectives, and connect with other ACRRM members.
For student members, come along to learn more about the ACRRM Rural Generalist pathway and build connections for your future career.
Eligible members have received information about candidates and how to vote via email.
Voting closes at 5:00pm AEST Friday 11 September.
Select Committee on Women’s Health
The Australian Senate has established a Select Committee on women’s health, particularly pregnancy and postnatal periods.
The ACRM Policy Team invites your experience and input for an ACRRM submission to the Committee, highlighting the following areas of the Terms of Reference:
Women’s experiences in pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period – physical, psychological and emotional
Best practice pregnancy and postpartum care models to support long-term maternal physical and mental health
The cost and accessibility of reproductive, anetenatal and post-partum care
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Preference will be given to nominees with experience in supporting, mentoring, supervising, and/or assessing RGA Trainees.
The Tripartite Committee is a collaboration between ACRRM, the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The Committee oversees the functional delivery of the RGA training program.
As per the Terms of Reference, the committee meets at least four times a year.
Interested Fellows are requested to provide their CV and a brief background statement to policy@acrrm.org.au by Friday 18 September 2026.
AGPAL is a leading accreditation provider for General Practice in Australia, and is the holding company for the AGPAL Group of Companies which includes AGPAL, QIP, CFEP Surveys, Care Opinion and QIPC.
The successful ACRRM nominee, after consideration by the AMA and the AGPAL Nominations Committee, will be appointed to the AGPAL Board at the 2026 AGPAL AGM, scheduled to be held on Friday 27 November 2026.
To be eligible for this position, the candidate must be an ACRRM Fellow and a Medical Practitioner in Practice as defined by Ahpra.
Strengthen your mental health skills for rural practice this R U OK? Day
This R U OK? Day, take the opportunity to strengthen your skills in providing safe, effective and holistic mental health care in rural and remote general practice through the Level 1 Mental Health Skills Training course.
Key areas covered include:
Detect mental health issues, recognising the epidemiology, aetiology, and early signs of mental illness in primary care.
Incorporate lived experiences and needs of patients, carers, and other support networks into the mental health planning process.
Develop evidence-based, needs-based GP Mental Health Treatment Plans (GPMHTPs) in consultation with patients and carers acknowledging cultural, social, and linguistic factors.
After completing the course, eligible practitioners can claim Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers 2715 and 2717 for the preparation of GP Mental Health Treatment Plans.
This week, 15 SA medical students joined our Registrars in the Barossa Valley for a day of learning as the Future Rural Generalist Experience Day was delivered alongside Day 1 of SA’s Semester B Registrar Training.
The Future RG Experience Day provided medical students with a unique opportunity to experience ACRRM training firsthand. Students joined registrars in educational sessions and
in dedicated student sessions,
gained hands-on exposure to clinical skills and explored what a future career as a Rural Generalist could look like.
The program concluded with a panel discussion exploring what training and, practice can look like in rural communities, with a particular focus on working with First Nations communities and delivering culturally safe, community-centred care.
Digital Health
Interested in dermatology and skin procedures? Did you know these resources are available on Tele-Derm?
If you’re new to ACRRM, a new registrar, or simply haven’t explored all the resources available through Tele-Derm, you may not be aware of our collection of practical dermatology procedural videos.
Learn from Dr Jim Muir, Dermatologist, and Dr Dan Kennedy, Plastic Surgeon, through practical demonstrations covering:
Shave biopsy
Incisional and punch biopsy
Curettage
Excisional biopsy
Skin cancer excision
And other practical dermatology procedures
These videos are a great opportunity to refresh your skills, build confidence and learn practical techniques directly from specialists, particularly relevant to rural and remote practice.
Already registered for Tele-Derm? Log in and explore the video collection.
Haven’t joined Tele-Derm yet? Registration is FREE for ACRRM members and doctors working in MMM3–7 locations.
Get Involved
Join ACRRM as the National Director of Training - Clinical
Permanent part-time | 0.6 FTE | Regional flexible
ACRRM is seeking an experienced and passionate FACRRM to join the Education Services team as National Director of Training – Clinical (NDOT).
This senior clinical and academic leadership role will provide strategic clinical oversight of the ACRRM Rural Generalist (RG) Fellowship Program and support the national and regional medical education teams in delivering high-quality, consistent training outcomes.
The role will suit a senior FACRRM with experience in medical education and leadership, a strong understanding of the ACRRM RG Fellowship Program and a commitment to the future of Rural Generalist Medicine.
ACRRM acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the custodians of the lands and waters where our members and staff work and live across Australia. We pay respect to their elders, lores, customs and Dreaming. We recognise these lands and waters have always been a place of teaching, learning, and healing.
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