Rural Doctors Foundation

Our stories

Stories of our inspiring (and aspiring) doctors

We chatted with Dr John Buckley on his career as rural generalist. A career that led him to the GPs4RuralDocs program as a Treating GP.  

Dr Katie Chang is a rural GP in Charleville. With her husband Paul, Katie has set up a new GP practice in this remote community.  Read their inspiring story. 

Dr Michael Clements journey is one of adventures and many lessons learnt along the way.  He shares his experiences and the learnings from the defence force that he still applies today in his role as rural GP From the defence force to becoming a rural GP.

 

Dr Gabrielle Du Preez-Wilkinson’s journey is a testament to resilience, kindness, and dedication, driven by her lifelong commitment to supporting the health and well-being of rural Australia.

We interviewed our very own Dr Sue Harrison, director on the Board at Rural Doctors Foundation. She’s dedicated much of her life to rural medicine and has an Order of Australia Medal, but she’s raised an amazing family too.

In the world of emergency medical care, having the right equipment at the right time can be crucial. This is particularly so in rural areas.

Dr Sue Masel has lived and worked in Goondiwindi in western Queensland for 25 years. She works as a rural GP and is incredibly connected to the town.

Ewen McPhee is a rural generalist based in Emerald. His impact on rural medicine and on his community makes him a superhero in our eyes! 

This is the story of a young rural doctor – Dr Vidhushan (Vid) Paheerathan.

Hear his remarkable story that started with aspirations of being an astronaut and led him to rural medicine. 

In rural and remote Australia, medical care can be limited, with distance making it difficult for emergency health services to arrive quickly.

This is the story of a young student – and the little sister who inspired her to pursue a career in rural medicine. 

Stories of those with a passion for helping others

Fran shares her journey as to how she became CEO of Rural Doctors Foundation.  She also talks about her vision for rural health in Australia.

Justine’s story is one of heartache, compassion, tenacity and determination to help people living in rural communities be supported when seeking health care in the city.

Jaide Vidafar interviewed Papa Cygnet, a respected elder from the Torres Strait Islander community. Here he shares his wisdom and insights on health from an Indigenous perspective.

Stories of those we have helped

Helping young men stay connected to culture. And above all, stay safe.

In partnership with Outback Futures, a mental health program is delivered in Barcaldine.

We funded an online yoga program for those living in rural and remote communities

In early 2022, Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales were hit by catastrophic floods. Homes, businesses, and the livelihood of many were destroyed, and tens of thousands of people were evacuated. Rural Doctors Foundation sprang into action providing emergency relief to communities and GPs. 

It is hard to remember the fear and the uncertainty that we all felt at the time of the outbreak of COVID. But in hospitals the fear was palpable. And even more so, for rural hospitals where the loss of one doctor or nurse could result in the closure of the hospital. Rural Doctors Foundation was able to alleviate this fear by equipping over 180 hospitals with Medihoods.