Earlier this month, leaders from the North Coast Medical Education Collaboration (NCMEC) came together in Ballina for our annual face-to-face meeting. This year’s theme, Learning From and With Country, set the tone for two days of rich discussion and shared experiences focused on primary health, community engagement, Aboriginal health education, and workforce pathways for medical professionals.
Since 2007, UCRH has delivered the North Coast Medical Education Collaboration between the University of Wollongong, Western Sydney University and the University of Sydney. Through this partnership, we provide placements for long-stay medical students alongside shorter-stay students, building a strong pipeline of future doctors for rural and regional communities.
The annual gathering brings together representatives from the three universities, UCRH staff and regional health stakeholders. This year’s gathering was an opportunity to showcase the work happening across our programs and reaffirm the strong partnerships that underpin rural medical education on the North Coast.
Highlights included:
- Updates from the three medical programs and curriculum developments relevant to rural delivery.
- Conversations on primary health and community engagement led by Healthy North Coast and local clinicians.
- Sessions on Aboriginal health education and partnerships, including an On Country experience in Bangalow.
- A forward-looking panel on workforce pathways and a lively discussion on the role of AI in education and health.
In keeping with the theme of this year’s gathering, the contributions of invited guests from local Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisations Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service and Bulgarr Ngarru Medical Aboriginal Corporation, and from local health and wellbeing service Rekindling the Spirit.
These annual meetings are invaluable for aligning priorities, sharing innovations, and strengthening the collaborative approach that supports rural health workforce development. We thank all participants and partners for their contributions and commitment to improving health outcomes for our communities.
