ACRRM Celebrates Growing Momentum in Rural Generalist Medicine

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) is excited by evidence which shows Rural Generalist (RG) Medicine is growing momentum.

Rural generalism has jumped to the sixth highest career choice for Australian final-year medical students, according to the Medical Schools Outcomes Database (MSOD) 2024 National Data Report.

The report also shows the number of students considering a career in RG has risen to seven per cent, the highest percentage since recording of the discipline began. While traditional general practice has seen a decline, with a small dip to 10.5 percent, the combined data still sees general practice as the most preferred specialty of all specialties.

ACRRM President Dr Dan Halliday says the results are positive for the profession, and the healthcare of rural, remote and First Nations communities.

“It’s encouraging to see RG medicine is continuing to gain in popularity,” Dr Halliday says.

“ACRRM is experiencing an upwards trend in applications for our Fellowship Program, with our most recent intake resulting in an oversubscription of places on the Australian General practice Training and Rural Generalist Training Scheme pathways.

“We expect there will be continued increase of interest in the rural pathway, with RG medicine on track to be formally recognised as a specialty in the near future.

“As the home of rural generalism, we deliver a program which provides a broad range of knowledge and advanced skills to produce safe, confident RGs who can serve their communities with excellent primary, hospital and emergency care.

“Applications to start training in 2025 are now open.

“Now is the time to harness the increase in confidence in the ACRRM program and RG medicine.

“We will  continue to advocate for more training places on our Fellowship program, so that we can meet demand and provide rural, remote and First Nations communities with the healthcare they deserve.”