Dr Sue Harrison, OAM

About Sue

Dr Sue Harrison has been a GP and Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) in Echuca and Moama (Victoria/NSW) for the past 40 years.

In addition to her experience in clinical work as a GP and GP Anaesthetist, Sue has a strong interest in education, training and workforce. Dr Harrison is currently working as a Senior Medical Officer (SMO) in the Emergency Departments in Swan Hill and Echuca. She is also senior lecturer for the University of Melbourne RCS and engaged with remote supervision of a RVTS registrar and occasional GP locums.

Along the mighty Murray River, Sue provides services to many patients living in southwest NSW, so the tyranny of distance can be an issue, even in Victoria!

I’m passionate about providing high quality training and support for our rural doctors; and rural communities having local access to services they need, provided by people who understand what it is to live in rural Australia.

- Dr Sue Harrison

Sue's Journey

Sue has a strong interest in governance and has been involved with Rural Doctors Association of Victoria (RDAV) for many years including time as President. Sue is the current Chair of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) Female Doctors Group and she sits on the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Quality and Safety Council. Sue is also a Director with Australian General Practice Accreditation (AGPAL).

As the saying goes, give a busy person a job and it will get done. Adding to her already busy schedule, Sue joined the Rural Doctors Foundation Board in September 2023 and was appointed as Deputy Chair in May 2024.

In the 2024 Australia Day Honours List, Sue was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to rural medicine.

Sue's Qualifications

Awards, Honours, and Accolades

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery

Diploma of Anaesthetics

Fellowship

Master Sports Medicine

Graduate Diploma Health Professional Education

Order of Australia Medal

University of Melbourne

Royal College, London UK

Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

University of New South Wales

Monash University

Governor General of Australia

Community and Family

Sue and her husband had originally been sent to the Echuca area by the education department. She says she moved around rural Victoria a lot as a child, with her own father being a teacher too. So she knew Northern Victoria very well.

When I ask what she loves most about Echuca she says the weather. “The fact that we get different seasons, lots of sunshine.”

Sue and her husband had both gone to university in the city but wanted to go back out rural. “We were keen to leave the city to bring up a family, having both grown up as rural people.”

They were blessed with two daughters: Annie and Emily.

“They’re adults now. My eldest has got her own family, and my other one is a doctor. They’re both about two-hours away,” says Sue.