Finding my way back to a dream: Dr Grace Maano's path to rural generalism
Rural. Remote. Medicine. Three words—and a turning point.
While working as a locum in Broken Hill, Dr Grace Maano heard about the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) for the first time. It stopped her in her tracks. In that moment, she found a path that aligned with everything she believed in — and a way back to a dream she had almost let go.
Tell us why you started. Email marketing@acrrm.org.au with your story and any photos that capture your journey.
“ACRRM didn’t just give me a qualification. It gave me my dream back — reimagined, reshaped, and stronger than before.”
Rural liveability key to keeping Rural Generalists in communities
ACRRM is urging the Australian Government to make rural and remote liveability a priority in the 2026–27 Federal Budget.
ACRRM says a sustainable Rural Generalist workforce depends not only on training and Medicare support, but on whether rural communities can offer secure housing and reliable childcare.
“Rural communities won’t keep doctors if the basics aren’t there,” ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says.
“If you can’t find a house or a childcare place, it doesn’t matter how good the job is — people just won’t stay.”
ACRRM says a lack of safe, secure and affordable housing is a growing barrier to attracting and retaining doctors in rural areas.
Rural Generalist doctors urge every generation to stay up to date with vaccines
Rural Generalist doctors warn falling vaccination rates and growing hesitancy are putting communities at risk, as Australia marks World Immunisation Week (24–30 April).
ACRRM is using World Immunisation Week to urge all Australians to stay up to date with their vaccinations and protect their communities.
This year's theme, led by the World Health Organization, highlights the lifelong protection immunisation provides to individuals, families and communities.
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says: “Vaccines save lives — it’s as simple as that.
“From childhood immunisations through to adult boosters, vaccines protect people at every stage of life and help prevent the spread of serious diseases in our communities.”
ACRRM welcomed the recent announcement to expand Rural Generalist training in the Northern Territory (NT) through a Single Employer Model (SEM) trial.
The trial, which will run through to December 2028, aims to attract and retain more Rural Generalist registrars by providing stable employment conditions, while supporting training across multiple settings in some of the Territory’s most remote areas.
Sponsored: Up to 53 CPD hours - Empowering rural & regional GPs with practical, evidence based learning
GP Refresh Conference. Where ethics meets evidence in modern General Practice. Designed to support rural and regional GPs, this conference delivers practical, high-impact learning tailored to real-world challenges including Emergency & Urgent care and limited specialist access. Enjoy 8 sessions of 90 minutes each, earning up to 53 CPD hours. Covering 77 TED-style clinical topics aligned to the ACCRM curriculum, with 77 practice-changing learning outcomes. Led by our Scientific Chair Dr Justin Coleman, Editor of John Murtagh’s current edition along with Dr Ian Kamerman and others. Across Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane.
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is hosting a community engagement session for health providers who care for veterans and their families. This session will feature senior departmental leaders discussing recent updates and changes, as well as DVA processes and operations that impact healthcare providers.
The session will be held on Thursday, 7 May 2026, from 6:00–7:00 pm (AEST).
You will be joined by senior members of the department, including:
Andrew Kefford, Deputy Secretary, Policy and Programs
New RG Life Hacks podcast episode - Working with retrieval services: Tips for rural registrars
How do you work effectively with retrieval services in rural and remote practice?
In the newest podcast episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Associate Professor Bill Nimo, Dr Kirsty Devine, and Dr Marian Dover about how registrars can confidently engage with retrieval teams during high-pressure situations.
The conversation covers when to call for help, why early escalation matters, and practical tips for structuring calls, sharing key clinical information, and clearly communicating local context and limitations.
For registrars managing emergencies in rural settings, this episode offers practical insights to build confidence and make the most of retrieval support.
In Broome this week, SLO Dr Sarah Woodland led a Supervisor PD event in Broome, drawing an enthusiastic audience who offered insightful feedback and meaningful discussion. On Wednesday, at Notre Dame University, a procedural skills workshop engaged 10 registrars, supported by four medical students and four RGs delivering demonstrations and teaching across practical clinical skills.
Digital Health
New Tele-Derm quiz: April
This is the foot of a man in his late seventies. The lesion has been a bit itchy, but that has settled with topical steroids and antifungal cream.
Describe the changes seen and nominate your preferred diagnoses.
Nous Group (Nous) will be conducting consultations to support the evaluation of the GP in Aged Care Incentive from April 2026. Nous will speak to GPs and managers of general practices to understand: key themes identified through recent surveys, the variation in uptake and causative factors, and experiences of stakeholders delivering, working with, and receiving primary care under the Incentive.
Recognising that primary care stakeholders are often time constrained and over-engaged, particularly during normal business hours, the evaluation will adopt a flexible approach to consultations:
Interviews will be 30-minute virtual sessions via Microsoft teams, or phone, unless otherwise agreed.
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.
You are receiving this email notification because this email address is listed as the contact email address with ACRRM. Change your preferences or Unsubscribe
.png?upscale=true&width=520&upscale=true&name=MREC%20(300%20x%20250%20px).png)
-1.jpg?upscale=true&width=530&upscale=true&name=Image%20(63)-1.jpg)
.jpg?upscale=true&width=530&upscale=true&name=Image%20(66).jpg)
