Recognition for Rural Medical Students

The outstanding efforts of Griffith University Rural Clinical School medical students have once again been recognised at the Griffith University School of Medicine and Dentistry and Dentistry Graduation Ceremony.

Students of the Griffith University Rural Clinical School (RCS) in the Longlook program were recognised with nine of the 17 University Medals awarded by Griffith University for high academic achievement. These students have spent one or more year exclusively training in the region as part of the Griffith University RCS Longlook Program. Notably, RCS Longlook students claimed the two most prestigious awards; Katie Bartlett the Clinical Skills Medallion and Declan Flynn the Dean’s Medallion. This is the second year in a row that a RCS Longlook student has claimed the Dean’s Medallion, awarded to the student who achieves the highest ranking across Years 3 and 4 of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program. Additionally, ten of the eighteen subject prizes were awarded to RCS Longlook students.

Declan has recently completed a two-year Longlook program (over Year 3 and Year 4 Medicine) with Rural Medical Education Australia (RuralMedEd) in Toowoomba and Warwick. We are excited his skills will remain in the Darling Downs when he takes up a part-time Medical Educator role with RuralMedEd in 2023 as well as commencing his medical career as an Intern at the Toowoomba Hospital.

 Commenting on the student achievements and accolades Professor Kay Brumpton said 

“Griffith University and RuralMedEd are extremely proud of our RCS students’ success. For over ten years, we have been collaborating with the regional, rural and remote communities of the Darling Downs, Maranoa and West Moreton to train students to be the future medical workforce. We are especially proud that graduates of Longlook have a high level of workforce retention in rural Australian areas. Our region is blessed with dedicated and knowledgeable medical educators who provide world class education in the rural Australian environment. Now we are starting to see our former students become the medical educators perpetuating the cycle of exceptional education and patient care.” 

Our 2023 Year 3 and Year 4 Longlook cohort will be welcomed at a series of orientation days next Wednesday 11, Thursday 12 and Friday 13 January. 

Year 3 and Year 4 Students, RuralMedEd staff and Dr Declan Flynn will be available for media participation. Or, if you would like to arrange an alternate time for an interview please get in touch. 

 Longlook Program 

 RuralMedEd operates the Longlook program in partnership with Griffith University. The Longlook program, supports one and two year clinical placements for Year 3 and Year 4 RCS medical students in rural communities. These lengthy placements provide an alternative to the model of short-term clinical rotations for city-based medical students, many of whom have not considered careers in non-metropolitan settings. The Longlook program addresses medical workforce shortages within communities in rural Australia through the achievement of 80% of RCS medical students who have trained in a rural community for two years remaining here to become a rural doctor. 

For more information, please contact

RuralMedEd CEO, Megan OShannessy – 0427693823 

Lead Medical Educator, Dr Rob Heffernan – 0427294845