Rural and Remote Medicine - Medical School

Rural and Remote Medicine: Mayne Academy of Rural and Remote Medicine and Rural and Remote Medicine Clinical Unit

The Mayne Academy of Rural and Remote Medicine is headed by Professor Bruce Chater. The Discipline oversees Rural & Remote Medicine placements, which provide a unique opportunity for medical students to understand and experience the rewards, benefits and challenges of clinical practice amongst population groups and/or in communities that face access and equity challenges associated with health service delivery.

In 2026, there will be the following opportunities for a rural and remote medicine placement, unless students have been granted an RRM Exemption:

Year 3 Rural Clinical Unit students - MEDI7300 rural clinical immersion term - 8 weeks
Year 4 Clinical Extension - MEDI7400 rural immersion - 8 weeks
Year 4 Clinical Immersion GP - MEDI7400 GP in Rural Location (GPiRL) - 8 weeks

Please note the special consideration processes for 2026 opened 23 June 2025 and close 4 July 2025, see Key Dates and Clinical Immersion Special Consideration information.

For 2026, students who have specific placement requests, please contact the RRM Team on med.rrmstudents@uq.edu.au

Medical Student Code of Professional Conduct

Safe Rural Travel Guidelines can be accessed here.

Contact

Mayne Academy Coordinator
Email: med.rrmstudents@uq.edu.au

Students can only undertake placements in rural and remote areas within Queensland that are listed below.

Please note that it is not possible to self-arrange your RRM placement.

View profiles for possible domestic 2026 rural placements. Please note that not all sites are available each placement.

In 2026 Rural & Remote Medicine sits within the MEDI7300 Rural Immersion term for RCU students, and within the MEDI7400 Clinical Extension term for all students.

There is also the opportunity for MEDI7400 students to apply for the Extended Placement Program or GP in Rural Location (GPiRL).

Please be aware that whilst every effort will be made to avoid placement changes, this may be necessary due to circumstances out of our control. In these circumstances, the RRM Team will contact you to discuss alternative placement options.

Recognising our Academic Title Holders

UQ Medicine is proud to acknowledge that our provision of high quality medical education and research would not be possible without the work of our hospital and clinic-based health professionals. Within our discipline, clinical training and research is supported by health professionals who hold an Academic Title with UQ.

Find out more about Academic Titles at UQ

Research in rural and remote medicine is undertaken in our Rural Clinical School Research Centre, which conducts research relevant to the needs of rural areas from individuals through to entire populations.

RRM Placement Subsidy Information

The RRM Placement Subsidy is an initiative of the Rural Clinical School and provides financial support to assist students to attend Introductory Week and complete rural and remote placements throughout Queensland during the Primary Care Plus (PCP) Semester. The Mayne Academy of Rural and Remote Medicine (RRM) staff administer this program.

Types of support include:

Accommodation
Travel
Placement Support
Internet

Further information on the 2025 subsidy and how it is calculated can be found in the documents below:

To complete a subsidy form, click here.

Timeline for subsidy

Form Completion By	Subsidy	Payment By
Semester 1: 6 January, 2025 Semester 2: 16 June, 2025	Introductory Week Subsidy	Semester 1: Week 3 of Block 1 Semester 2: Week 3 of Block 4
	RRM Placement Subsidy	Week 3 of each rural placement
	Internet Access Subsidy	Week 3 of each rural placement

2026 Rural Subsidy Information is currently being updated, and will be available soon.

2025 RRM Priority Placement

In 2025, Students who find themselves in circumstances that they feel prevent them from undertaking a rural placement; or students with a rural background or connection (i.e. completed TREES Observership) and may wish to complete a rural placement at a specific site, have an opportunity to submit an application for RRM Priority Placement prior to preferencing placement sites.

You will be required to provide a detailed explanation of why and what is required in regard to RRM Priority Placement. Compelling reasons ONLY will be considered as justification for students to be afforded this consideration, and students are required to provide documentary evidence to substantiate their claim.

Download the RRM Priority Placement guidelines and application form.
Compile supporting documentation
Submit your application and supporting documents by the closing date
Email application to med.rrmstudents@uq.edu.au

RRM Priority Placement application closes	PCP Semester 1, 2025	PCP Semester 2, 2025
RRM Priority Placement application closes	Midday, Friday 20 September 2024	Midday, Friday 28 February 2025

Information for 2026 is still to be updated.

2026 Extended Placement Program

The Extended Placement Program provides an opportunity to spend more time in a rural location by undertaking back to back placements in General Practice and Rural & Remote Medicine, and in 2026 the opportunities will be in :

EPP Immersion Group A - 16 weeks
EPP Immersion Group B - 16 weeks

The program focuses on continuity of practice in a rural community, thus for students enhancing patient and learner-centeredness. The Extended Placement Program involves identifying students with a keen interest in rural practice and providing them with further opportunities to engage with a rural healthcare team.

In 2026, EPP is open to Domestic and International students in MEDI7400.

EPP Student Information Booklet - currently being updated

EPP Teaching Clinician Information Booklet - currently being updated

More information on EPP and how to apply

Year 4 PLD Rural Opportunities

Rural Clinical Opportunities - TO BE UPDATED FOR 2026

A rural placement for your Year 4 Personalised Learning Course (PLC) is the perfect opportunity for domestic students to build on your Year 3 RRM experience and international students to have the rural experience that you missed out on.

Available rural sites for Semester 1 2025 PLC will be uploaded to InPlace so you should be able to view them when your block preferencing window opens, but if you wish to find out earlier what is available, please contact the RRM team.

There is now the added attraction of PLC access to RRM subsidies for travel and accommodation. This will be continued into 2025 for Year 4 PLC placement options.

2025 rural sites for PLC will be finalised after RRM placements have been allocated. Please note that unfortunately due to the MD Program transition, rural PLC locations will be very limited in 2025 due to higher than normal RRM student numbers and the new MEDI7300 Rural immersion.

Please find rural placement opportunities on the flyer attached HERE. If students are interested in a rural placement, they should contact med.rrmstudents@uq.edu.au.

Head of Mayne Academy – Rural & Remote Medicine
Professor Bruce Chater
Tel: 0419 674164
Email: a.chater@uq.edu.au

Mayne Academy Course Coordinator
Associate Professor Eugene Wong (MEDI7315 / MEDI7100)
Email: eugene.wong@uq.edu.au

Senior Lecturer and Specialty Lead - Rural & Remote Medicine
Dr Lucy Barnett (MEDI7300/ MEDI7400)
Email: lucy.barnett@uq.edu.au

Senior Lecturer - Rural & Remote Medicine
Dr Robyn Cooke (MEDI7100 / MEDI7200 )
Email: robyn.cooke@uq.edu.au

Rural & Remote Medicine Administration Team

Acting Senior Administration and Engagement Officer: Katherine Munyard
Tel: 07 4633 9705 Email: med.rrmstudents@uq.edu.au

Administration and Engagement Officer: Jo Wakefield
Tel: 07 4633 9708 Email: med.rrmstudents@uq.edu.au

Administration and Engagement Officer: Nelson Burgos
Email: med.rrmstudents@uq.edu.au

Medicine in Society - Rural exemption Students Only
Course Administrator: Kim Wicks
Email: m ed.misstudents@uq.edu.au

Academic coordinator: Dr Michaela Kelly
Email: m.kelly4@uq.edu.au