ACRRM students, registrars and Fellows have one thing in common - a desire to See More, Do More and Be More. Whether they are working in central Victoria, on the rugged Western Australian coastline, in the tropics of North Queensland or the farmlands of New South Wales and further afield, they are committed to being the best Rural Generalist they can, supporting rural and remote people with excellent health care. Enjoy their stories here.
Many of our members at ACRRM have gone on to win awards. Check out our awards page here.
If you are an ACRRM Rural Generalist and would like to share your story, contact the membership team at membership@acrrm.org.au.
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I am exactly where I want to be. My family migrated to Australia from the Middle East, a difficult decision my parents made due to ongoing religious discrimination and persecution. I was 8 years old when we arrived, and my sister only nine months old. I remember how difficult it was to leave everything behind, but I also understood why we were doing it. I understood that our freedom and future was at stake if we had stayed. I understood that sometimes opportunities are taken away from people because of things they have no control over.
My resilient, brave parents instilled in me a strong work ethic, a sense of adventure and a strong sense of justice. One could almost say these are the makings of every Rural Generalist.
Australia really has been “A Land of Opportunity” for us. My parents and I learned to speak, read and write English together. We were homeless for a few months but our church community embraced us with support until we could find our feet. I remember being so grateful for the safety and security I felt in Australia when doing something as simple as leaving the house.
I distinctly recall marvelling at the garbage trucks coming to collect rubbish from the neighbourhood. And that there are some streets where you only need to press a button on the sidewalk that tells you when it’s safe to cross. These are privileges that my children may take for granted, but I continue to carry the awe and gratitude.
I learned so much by coming to ACRRM a few years into my training. My confidence was shot after I’d been driven out of working at a rural maternity unit much like many other GP/Obstetricians. I had failed a college exam twice, and felt like an “overcooked" registrar as colleagues I had trained with reached Fellowship. I trailed behind with little direction forward. I was quickly descending into the vortex of burnout, feeling lost, worthless and inadequate, feelings I didn’t realise were particularly triggering for me. When I made the phone call asking ACRRM if I could join, their words of welcome soothed wounds I didn’t realise I had. My journey showed me how important it is to have a College dedicated to Rural Generalist training.
Through a culmination of factors, my Fellowship with ACRRM has given me the confidence to move my family almost 4000km to remote town in the East Kimberley of Western Australia. The times I catch myself saying or feeling “I have to do this”, I replace it with “I get to do this?!” I imagine telling the 10-year-old version of Marian what her future looks like and I see her eyes light up. I am exactly where I want to be.
Perhaps it’s the juxtaposition I experienced that has made me value ACRRM so deeply. I cherish the fact that it’s the only medical college dedicated to rural and remote training. I am grateful that my rural and remote skills are entirely relevant to every assessment I completed. I love that rural is not an “after-thought” or an add-on to my medical training. I value that every mentor, assessor, and educator I’ve had is a Rural Generalist.
The community within ACRRM fills me with hope that my time as a doctor is amongst friends, people who understand and fight for the same things I do. ACRRM was born of trail blazers, giants of rural medicine who fought for the wellbeing of rural communities, heroes in clinical courage and resourcefulness, doctors travelling the road less travelled, leaders in advocacy and equity.
This RMA, I get to celebrate my Fellowship amongst this amazing community, to shake hands with and thank those who gave me this incredible opportunity (please find me at RMA and say hello!). My parents migrated to this beautiful land, to help me live a full life and that I am. I am exactly where I want to be.
Australia really has been “A Land of Opportunity” for us. My parents and I learned to speak, read and write English together. We were homeless for a few months but our church community embraced us with support until we could find our feet. I remember being so grateful for the safety and security I felt in Australia when doing something as simple as leaving the house.
I distinctly recall marvelling at the garbage trucks coming to collect rubbish from the neighbourhood. And that there are some streets where you only need to press a button on the sidewalk that tells you when it’s safe to cross. These are privileges that my children may take for granted, but I continue to carry the awe and gratitude.
I learned so much by coming to ACRRM a few years into my training. My confidence was shot after I’d been driven out of working at a rural maternity unit much like many other GP/Obstetricians. I had failed a college exam twice, and felt like an “overcooked" registrar as colleagues I had trained with reached Fellowship. I trailed behind with little direction forward. I was quickly descending into the vortex of burnout, feeling lost, worthless and inadequate, feelings I didn’t realise were particularly triggering for me. When I made the phone call asking ACRRM if I could join, their words of welcome soothed wounds I didn’t realise I had. My journey showed me how important it is to have a College dedicated to Rural Generalist training.
Through a culmination of factors, my Fellowship with ACRRM has given me the confidence to move my family almost 4000km to remote town in the East Kimberley of Western Australia. The times I catch myself saying or feeling “I have to do this”, I replace it with “I get to do this?!” I imagine telling the 10-year-old version of Marian what her future looks like and I see her eyes light up. I am exactly where I want to be.
Perhaps it’s the juxtaposition I experienced that has made me value ACRRM so deeply. I cherish the fact that it’s the only medical college dedicated to rural and remote training. I am grateful that my rural and remote skills are entirely relevant to every assessment I completed. I love that rural is not an “after-thought” or an add-on to my medical training. I value that every mentor, assessor, and educator I’ve had is a Rural Generalist.
The community within ACRRM fills me with hope that my time as a doctor is amongst friends, people who understand and fight for the same things I do. ACRRM was born of trail blazers, giants of rural medicine who fought for the wellbeing of rural communities, heroes in clinical courage and resourcefulness, doctors travelling the road less travelled, leaders in advocacy and equity.
This RMA, I get to celebrate my Fellowship amongst this amazing community, to shake hands with and thank those who gave me this incredible opportunity (please find me at RMA and say hello!). My parents migrated to this beautiful land, to help me live a full life and that I am. I am exactly where I want to be.