Links And Forums

Adelaide Rural Clinical School (The University of Adelaide)

Adelaide Rural Clinical School provides hands-on learning experiences for medical students in rural and remote locations.

Australian Centre for International Tropical Health

Although not solely dealing with Indigenous health, there is still quite a bit of information available on this website. They provide information about education, particularly University courses in Indigenous health, and also about their current research projects.

Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)

The website provides current information specifically for rural doctors. It features a calendar of events, directory to relevant organisations, links to other rural medical pages and articles by various authors on topics such as CME and computer education.

Australian Indigenous Doctor's Association (AIDA)

The Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA) is a not-for-profit professional association contributing to equitable health and life outcomes, and the cultural wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. AIDA's ultimate goal is to reach population parity of Indigenous doctors, and to inform and support a culturally safe health care system.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

This website provides an extensive amount of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health information, including important cultural information as well. There is on-line information and a vast amount of links to additional websites, publications or articles.

Australian Indigenous Psychology Association (AIPA)

The Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA) is committed to achieving equitable participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the psychology profession in Australia.

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

mission: "To provide leadership and excellence in undertaking, promoting and facilitating high-quality research in Australian Indigenous studies." through conducting and disseminating research, providing grant opportunities and facilitating seminars and conferences.

Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM)

The Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) is a multi-disciplinary health and tropical medicine research institute located in the tropics.

Based at James Cook University in northern Queensland, AITHM has key nodes in Townsville, Cairns and the Torres Strait.

AITHM’s research programs confront northern Australia's major health security risks, tackle its worst health outcomes, develop better ways to deliver health services to remote communities and contribute to the development of northern Australia through research, knowledge infrastructure and commercialisation of research findings.

Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN)

ARHEN is a national communication and coordination body for all University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) in Australia.

Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health

The Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health (BHUDRH) aims to improve healthcare in far western New South Wales by providing high quality support, education and training for rural and remote health workers.

Canadian Rural Health Research Society (CRHRS)

The Canadian Rural Health Research Society offers the opportunity for researchers and their collaborators to network with new and established researchers of many disciplines engaged in rural, remote and northern health research. Each year, at our annual scientific meetings in October, we discuss current findings and seek to build new and extend existing networks among those with common research interests and goals.

Centre for Remote Health

mission: "To provide appropriate tertiary education, training and research, focusing on the discipline of remote health, to meet the health needs of remote communities in the NT and adjacent areas. The Centre will particularly address Indigenous health issues and the educational needs of Indigenous health professionals."

Centre for Rural and Regional Indigenous Health (CRRIH)

Centre for Rural and Regional Indigenous Health (CRRIH) is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) providing primary healthcare to the Gladstone area of Queensland.

Centre for Rural Health Studies, Memorial University

The CRHS conducts research involving the provision of health care and services and the examination of health policy in Canada with a particular emphasis on disparities between rural and urban geographic locations. We also provide research support and perform other research related activites for the Discipline of Family Medicine. Under the direction of Dr. James Rourke, family physician and professor of family medicine, the CRHS directs or participates in local, provincial, and national research teams that aim to improve the accessibility and quality of primary healthcare for rural residents.

Croakey

Croakey is a social journalism project that enables debate and investigations of health issues and policy. Every week, a different person – including community members and public health professionals – is asked to tweet-report and investigate public health matters using the rotating curated twitter account @WePublicHealth.

Deakin Rural Health

Deakin Rural Health aims to promote the health and wellbeing of people living in South West Victoria.

Edinburgh University Remote & Rural Medicine Society (EURRMS)

A student society that aims to promote remote and rural medicine. They hold talks and workshops from remote and rural medics and surgeons and help to promote medicine as a career option in remote and rural schools.

Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators (FRAME)

FRAME aims to:

• Promote rural medical education as an essential and successful component of Australia’s rural medical workforce, higher education and regional development strategies;
• Provide an efficient and transparent vehicle for influencing national policy that effects the goals and function of the Rural Clinical Training and Support program throughout Australia;
• Facilitate the successful development and maintenance of the RCTS program in all medical schools through collaboration, discussion and sharing of ideas; and
• Work collaboratively with other relevant national organisations, in particular, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), the Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN), and Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand (MDANZ).

First Nations Health Authority

Healthy, Self-Determining and Vibrant First Nations Children, Families and Communities

Flinders Rural and Remote Health SA

Flinders University Rural and Remote Health SA (FRRHSA) facilitates high quality multidisciplinary health education and research in our State's regional areas.

Flinders University Rural Medicine

Flinders Rural and Remote Health South Australia holds a vital role in medical education, research and clinical education in rural and regional South Australia and western Victoria.

Indigenous Allied Health Australia

Indigenous Allied Health Australia is a national, member-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health organisation. IAHA leads sector workforce development and support to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA)

Indigenous Allied Health Australia is a national, member-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health organisation. IAHA leads sector workforce development and support to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Institute for Circumpolar Health Research (ICHR)

We work with community groups, governments, and health authorities to build capacity and support community engagement through research. Our research projects and programs promote health equity, address climate change and environmental and mental health impacts, and honour Indigenous health needs and values.

Key Literature in Medical Education (KeyLIME) Podcasts

KeyLIME is a weekly podcast produced by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. They bring you the main points of a medical education article in under half an hour! Articles that are important, innovative, or will impact your educational practice are discussed.

Lowitja Institute

The Lowitja Institute is Australia’s only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health research institute, named in honour of our patron, Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG. They deliver high-impact quality research and knowledge exchange by supporting a new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers.

Majarlin Kimberley Centre for Remote Health

The Majarlin Kimberley Centre for Remote Health contributes to the development of a culturally responsive, remote health workforce through inspiration, education, innovation and research.

Monash University School of Rural Health

The School of Rural Health is committed to improved health outcomes in rural communities, and a sustainable rural health workforce. With eight clinical teaching sites, our footprint stretches from Mildura in the north-west to Bairnsdale in the south-east.

Murray–Darling Medical Schools Network

The Murray–Darling Medical Schools Network establishes 5 rurally based university medical school programs in New South Wales and Victoria. Medical students can stay rural while they study medicine. This is part of the Stronger Rural Health Strategy initiative.

Murtupuni Centre for Rural and Remote Health

The Centre for Rural and Remote Health (CRRH) James Cook University (JCU) is part of the Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN), a national network of 15 University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health under the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program.

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) is the national leadership body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in Australia. Our organisation provides advice and guidance to the Australian Government on policy and budget matters while advocating for community-developed health solutions that contribute to the quality of life and improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

National Center for Frontier Communities

National Center for Frontier Communities is the only national organization dedicated to the smallest and most geographically isolated communities in the United States - the frontier.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.

National Rural Faculty, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

This site contains news of relevance to rural general practitioners, information about the RACGP’s rural qualification, and resources of use to rural GPs, along with links to a wealth of resources available from the RACGP for rural GPs such as preventative guidelines, Australian Family Physician, GP Review, and the College’s extensive library resource collection.

National Rural Health Alliance

This is an alliance of key rural health stakeholders, whose main objectives are to set up links, affect policy and provide information in the area of rural health. This website provides a facility to do that, with features such as a discussion group, with a database of previous discussion issues, as well as an extensive list of relevant articles for viewing on-line.

National Rural Health Association

National Rural Health Association - The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is a national nonprofit membership organization in the United States with more than 20,000 members. The association’s mission is to provide leadership on rural health issues.

Northern Territory PHN

The vision of NT PHN is that people in the Northern Territory enjoy their best health and wellbeing. They strive to achieve this vision by building local partnerships, and directing resources for an integrated and high quality primary health care system.

NT PHN helps Territorians receive the right health care, in the right place, at the right time by:

• commissioning the delivery of health services
• providing support to the primary health care workforce
• supporting integration across the acute and primary health care sectors.

Norwegian Centre for Rural Medicine (NCRM)

NCRM aims to promote research, professional development projects, education and networks. The vision is to bridge praxis, academia and responsible authorities, to contribute to quality improvement, recruitment and retention of health professionals in rural and remote areas.

NSW Rural Doctors Network

The NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) provides support for a continuing and high quality rural medical workforce in New South Wales (NSW).

Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner

The ONRHC provides policy advice to the minister responsible for rural health. The National Rural Health Commissioner leads work to improve rural health policies and ensure there remains a strong focus on the health needs of rural communities.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is the specialized international health agency for the Americas. It works with countries throughout the region to improve and protect people's health.

PAHO engages in technical cooperation with its member countries to fight communicable and noncommunicable diseases and their causes, to strengthen health systems, and to respond to emergencies and disasters.

PAHO is committed to ensuring that all people have access to the health care they need, when they need it, with quality and without fear of falling into poverty. Through its work, PAHO promotes and supports the right of everyone to good health.

To advance these goals, PAHO promotes technical cooperation between countries and works in partnership with ministries of health and other government agencies, civil society organizations, other international agencies, universities, social security agencies, community groups, and other partners. PAHO promotes the inclusion of health in all public policies and the engagement of all sectors in efforts to ensure that people live longer, healthier lives, with good health as their most valuable resource.

Poche Centre for Indigenous Health

The Centre aims to drive a transformative intergenerational Aboriginal health research agenda.

Remote First Nations Stream, NOSM University

The NOSM University is committed to the education of high-quality physicians and health professionals, and to international recognition as a leader in distributed, learning-centred, community-engaged education and research.

The program’s vision is to educate doctors based on the CanMEDS-FM roles to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to deliver excellent, culturally respectful health care to the communities of Northern Ontario, including rural and remote areas.

As a socially accountable medical school, accountable to the needs and the diversity of the populations of Northern Ontario, candidates best suited to the NOSM U Family Medicine Remote First Nations Stream are those with a vested interest in rural medicine and the health of Indigenous Peoples, who can adapt and thrive in a hands-on, distributed rural residency program that requires flexibility, travel away from their primary location of residence, and future practice in remote First Nations communities.

Royal Flying Doctor Service

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is one of the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisations in the world, providing extensive primary health care and 24-hour emergency service to people over an area of 7.69 million square kilometres in Australia.

Rural & Remote Mental Health

Rural & Remote Mental Health develops mental health literacy and suicide prevention training.

Rural and Regional Health, University of Wollongong

UOW Graduate School of Medicine is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of people living in rural, regional and remote areas who are currently at disadvantage with limited access to skilled medical professionals. The continued building of outreach through UOW’s extensive community training network incorporating 22 regional, district and base hospitals in addition to approximately 70 partner teaching medical practices across rural and regional Australia seeks to address the maldistribution of the rural health workforce across Australia.

Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc)

The Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc), in conjunction with the Rural Education Action Plan (REAP), seeks to improve rural health education and advocates for rural health in British Columbia.

RCCbc works on behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC), an entity that advises the BC government and the Doctors of BC (formerly the BCMA) on matters pertaining to rural medical practice.

Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA)

The RDAA represents the interests of rural doctors on a federal level.

Their vision is for excellent medical care for rural and remote communities.

They are committed to building and maintaining a workforce of highly skilled and motivated rural medical practitioners which requires adequate training and proper incentives, remuneration and support.

Rural Doctors Association of Southern Africa (RuDaSA)

RuDASA strives for the adequate staffing of rural health services by appropriately skilled medical staff and to be a voice for the rural doctor regarding training and working conditions.

Rural Health Advocacy Project

The Rural Health Advocacy Project is a leading health advocacy organisation based in Johannesburg, advocating for equitable access to quality health care for rural communities in the whole of South Africa. Informed by the voices of rural Health Care Workers (HCWs) and communities on the ground, partner organisations, stakeholders and primary and secondary research, RHAP uses its urban-based access to decision-makers to conduct advocacy, generate debate, monitor implementation of health policies in rural areas, support pro-equity government interventions, and influence decision-making that is in tune with rural realities.

Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub)

The Rural Health Information Hub, formerly the Rural Assistance Center, is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to be a national clearinghouse on rural health issues. They are committed to supporting healthcare and population health in rural communities.

The RHIhub provides access to current and reliable resources and tools to help you learn about rural health needs and work to address them.

Rural Health Research Gateway

The Rural Health Research Gateway provides easy and timely access to research conducted by the Rural Health Research Centers, funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Gateway efficiently puts new findings and information in the hands of our subscribers, including policymakers, educators, public health employees, hospital staff, and more.

The Rural Health Research Gateway is an online library of research and expertise. It’s free to use, searchable, and provides access to the work of all eleven federally-funded Rural Health Research Centers and Analysis Initiatives.

Rural Health Services Research Network of BC (RHSRNbc)

The Rural Health Services Research Network of BC (RHSRNbc) was established in May 2010, as part of an overall strategy to improve and expand health services research within British Columbia

The RHSRNbc’s main purpose is to support rural health services’ researchers in British Columbia, with the goal of creating a supportive infrastructure with in which to facilitate the investigation of issues relevant to the health and health services of rural communities.

The RHSRNbc takes a multi-faceted approach to supporting and facilitating rural health services research. Not only do we maintain up-to-date information to inform members of any available grants, upcoming conferences and symposia but we also host skill building workshops, knowledge translation events and hold travel bursary competitions in order to ensure our members are prepared for and successful in the realm of rural health services research.

1. Build capacity in rural and remote health research by increasing the number of researchers from all four pillars;
2. Support multi-disciplinary and multi-professional research collaboration across the spectrum from communities to universities;
3. Support the exchange of new knowledge between researchers, policy makers, health care providers and consumers.

Rural Medical Education

Rural Medical Education - The main web site for Rural Health Workforce studies in the United States, Basic Health Access, the Atlas of Basic Health Access, Physician Workforce Studies, and Physician Distribution By Concentration

Rural Medical Education Network (RMEN)

The Rural Medical Education Network (RMEN) is a virtual component of Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Faculty of Medicine overseeing the development and coordination of the distributed education activities for Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) and Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) curricula across regional training sites.

Rural Nursing South Africa (RuNurSA)

RuNurSA aims to strengthen rural nursing leadership to influence change and improve rural health equitable access and quality nursing care in South Africa.

Rural Pact Community Forum

The Rural Pact contributes to achieving the shared goals of the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas by facilitating interaction on rural matters. It aims at fostering mutual inspiration between all levels of governance and mobilise public authorities and stakeholders to act on the needs and aspirations of rural residents.

Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI)

The Rural Policy Research Institute provides unbiased analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural America. RUPRI’s aim is to spur public dialogue and help policymakers understand the rural impacts of public policies and programs.

Rural Rehab South Africa (RuReSA)

RuReSA is a multidisciplinary organisation of professionals committed to providing and improving rehabilitation services in rural communities.

Rural Road to Health Podcast with Veronika Rasic

A journey down the rural road to health. This podcast explores rural health topics through conversations with academics, clinicians, researchers, and people that live and work in rural areas.

Rural Seeds

Rural Seeds – or ‘World Rural Doctors in Training’ – is a network comprising students and young doctors with an interest in rural medicine who collaborate closely with experienced doctors and other health professionals.

Rural Stream, NOSM University

Residents in the Rural Stream have greater opportunities to be placed with Family Medicine preceptors who provide the full scope of practice, including emergency care, obstetrics, and inpatient care. Their rural sites utilize the Triple C competency-based curriculum, and the curriculum design varies based on the community resources and learners, though most are longitudinal.

Rural Wonca Resources

Rural Wonca is the Working Party on Rural Practice of WONCA (World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians). Rural Wonca has worked closely with WHO since 2018 to review the evidence for Rural Health Workforce Recruitment and Retention. The resources on these website as designed to take this a step further by providing a toolkit of ideas and resources.

The Rural Wonca resource website has been established to assist rural doctors, nurses and other health professionals , administrators and policy makers find the information they need on pressing questions with respect to rural health. It helps pull together much of the grey literature on these topics as well as links to peer reviewed journals. Anyone with exemplars or innovative solutions to rural issues is welcome to send these to the contact addresses and, as long as suitable, they will verified and posted.

Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH)

SARRAH, established in 1995, is a grassroots' organisation advocating on behalf of rural and remote Australian communities in order for them to have access to allied health services which support equitable and sustainable health and well-being.

Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC)

The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) is the national voice of Canadian rural physicians. Founded in 1992, the SRPC’s mission is to provide leadership for rural physicians and to promote sustainable conditions and equitable health care for rural communities.

On behalf of its members and the Canadian public, SRPC performs a wide variety of functions, such as developing and advocating health delivery mechanisms, supporting rural doctors and communities in crisis, promoting and delivering continuing rural medical education, encouraging and facilitating research into rural health issues, and fostering communication among rural physicians and other groups with an interest in rural health care.

Southern Queensland Rural Health (SQRH)

SQRH is a University Department of Rural Health, a Commonwealth-funded collaboration between The University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland, Darling Downs Health and South West Hospital and Health Service.

Telethon Kids Institute

Telethon Kids brings together community, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and funders who share the mission to improve the health, development and lives of children and young people through excellence in research.

The Australian Journal of Rural Health

The Australian Journal of Rural Health is a multidisciplinary journal, which aims to facilitate the formation of interdisciplinary networks to build and advance rural practice for all health professionals.

In 1999 the Australian Journal of Rural Health became the official journal of the National Rural Health Alliance, which is the peak body for rural and remote health organisations in Australia.

The Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine

The Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine is published quarterly, is peer-reviewed, and has the following objectives:

To promote research into rural health issues.

To promote the health of rural ( including native) communities.

To support and inform rural practitioners.

To provide a forum for debate and discussion of rural medicine.

To influence rural health policy by publishing articles that inform decision makers.

To Provide practical clinical information to rural practitioners.

The Centre for Antarctic Remote and Maritime Medicine (CARMM)

The Centre for Antarctic Remote and Maritime Medicine (CARMM), is a collaborative network of founding partner organisations based in the Antarctic Gateway City of Hobart Tasmania, Australia. CARMM delivers healthcare in remote and extreme environments training, education, clinical services and research and innovation.

The Conversation

The Conversation is an independent source of news and views, from the academic and research community, delivered direct to the public.

The European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association (EURIPA)

EURIPA is a representative network organisation founded by family doctors to address the health and wellbeing needs of rural communities and the professional needs of those serving them across Europe. It represents a growing network of rural practitioners and organisations across Europe working together to disseminate good practice, initiate research and influence policy.

EURIPA is a network of WONCA Europe which is the academic and scientific society for general practitioners in Europe. WONCA Europe has 47 member organisations and represents more than 75.000 family physicians in Europe.

The Journal of Rural Health

The Journal of Rural Health is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to advancing research on rural health policy, health care delivery, and population health. It is sponsored by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA).

The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP)

The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP) is the peak body for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners in Australia. It was established in 2009, following the Australian Government’s announcement of funding to strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce as part of its ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative.

The National Center for Rural Health Professions (NCRHP)

The NCRHP at the UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford strives to meet the health care needs of rural residents and their communities in Illinois, around the nation and throughout the world. Approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education since 2003, this University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford center has programs and collaborative partnerships that have become successful models for education, service, research and policy related to rural health involving multiple health professions.

The Rural Impact Podcast with Michelle Rathman

A Podcast Connecting the Dots Between Policy & Rural Everything

Hear from the problem solvers, advocates, storytellers, and policy pros, who I'll ask to help sort out the complexity of critically important issues and dial into the details that listeners will appreciate learning and understanding. On each episode, we'll share resources that help inform our discussions and encourage our listeners to keep the conversations going, and ultimately, inspire movements toward rural equity and prosperity.

The Rural Medical Education (RME) Group

Rural Medical Educators - This US based group within the National Rural Health Association is a small group with a big vision – geographically dispersed, ethnically and culturally diverse, each in our place uniquely challenged, yet together facing common political, economic, and academic obstacles.

The Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative (SRMC)

The Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative (SRMC) is a group of NHS Scotland Boards who aim to support recruitment/retention of GPs in Rural and Remote Scotland. The Knowledge Hub aims for people to connect digitally with colleagues and experts, share knowledge, insight and best practice, learn from experiences and inspire innovation and new ways of working.

The University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health (UONDRH)

The University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health (UONDRH) focuses on:

• facilitating student placements and learning
• enhancing the health of local communities through community engagement and
• conducting research into rural health issues. The UONDRH is Commonwealth funded under the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) Programme.

The University of Notre Dame Riverina Regional Training Hub

The RRTH has a pivotal role in facilitating the advanced training of medical graduates by fostering opportunities for specialty training in the Riverina. The RRTH works with key stakeholders to support new doctors with a continuous and complete training pathway enabling them to live and work in the region over the long term. The RRTH team smooth and customise the often complex path for medical students and junior doctors that leads to Fellowship.

The University of Notre Dame Rural Clinical School

Our RCSs are located at Lithgow, Ballarat and Wagga Wagga and in partnership with the University of Western Australia and Curtin University we also have a RCS in WA. Our RCS medical students are immersed in all aspects of Hospital and Community Medicine. Students will explore the multifaceted dimensions of Rural Medicine with excellent and dedicated teachers who have made Rural Medicine their passion. Students at the School have plenty of opportunities to participate in patient care with hands-on management of patients under supervision.

Three Rivers University Department of Rural Health

Three Rivers UDRH supports the recruitment and retention of nursing, midwifery, allied health and dentistry rural health professionals to help improve the health of people living in rural Australia.

Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health

The Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health focuses on health professional training and research with community engagement that is relevant to the South African context. Central to the vision of this ongoing commitment is the continuous training of healthcare professionals with applicable knowledge and hands on experience of the health issues facing rural and under served communities in South Africa.

University Center for Rural Health (UCRH)

UCRH provides a multidisciplinary centre of excellence in education of students for clinical practice in rural health and conducts research relevant to the health needs of rural communities situated within the Northern Rivers region of NSW and elsewhere.

University of Melbourne Department of Rural Health

The University of Melbourne Department of Rural Health provides professional health education and research training in a rural context. Based at Shepparton in the Goulburn Valley, they have major nodes at Ballarat and Wangaratta and associations with nearly 40 smaller towns in rural Victoria.

University of Minnesota Rural Physician Associate Program

The Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) is a nine-month, community-based educational experience for University of Minnesota third-year medical students who live and train in rural communities across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. RPAP students experience hands-on learning as they care for patients of all ages.

University of South Australia Department of Rural Health

The University of South Australia Department of Rural Health is committed to improving the recruitment and retention of nursing and allied health professionals in rural and remote South Australia. This is achieved in part by supporting domestic nursing and allied health students to undertake a rural placement, and work in, and engage with, local communities.

University of Tasmania Centre for Rural Health

The Centre for Rural Health (CRH) aims to improve access for rural and remote communities to appropriate health services by encouraging students to pursue a career in rural practice and supporting health care professionals working in these areas.

Western Australia General Practice Education and Training (WAGPET)

Western Australia General Practice Education and Training (WAGPET) is the sole provider of the federally funded Australian General Practice Training program (AGPT) in WA. The program takes doctors seeking to specialise as general practitioners through to fellowship – the highest recognition for a GP.

Western Australian Centre for Rural Health

WACRH aims to improve rural, remote and Aboriginal health through research, education, student support and community service activities. WACRH operates with support from The University of Western Australia but also works closely with numerous health organisations, on a local and national level.

Wonca

WONCA is short for World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians, or World Organization of Family Doctors for short. Wonca's Web site, Global Family Doctor, provides a daily news service featuring synopses of relevant articles from family medicine and major general journals, updated every weekday and posted within minutes of publication.

Wonca Working Party: Rural Practice

The WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice (RuralWONCA) is an active network of rural family doctors and rural academics from each of the world's regions: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australasia/Pacific. Members of the working party are expected to be engaged and active in the organisation and are selected after presenting to the Working Party Council, usually or before one of our WONCA World Rural Health conferences.

Our vision is health for all rural people around the world.

World Health Organization