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Cadet Royal Flying Doctor Service Weekend
28th September 2026
Twenty-eight Rural Doctors Network Rural Resident Medical Officer cadets had the opportunity to connect with Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) staff, and the wider cadet network this month, as part of a dedicated Cadet RFDS Weekend held in Dubbo from 18-20 September.
Five Junior Medical Officers (JMO) and eight final-year students were among the group who were able to experience a taste of what it is like to work at RFDS and explore careers within the rural and remote health workforce.
Following the Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony on Saturday morning at RFDS’ Dubbo Wellbeing Place, a Yarning Circle was hosted by First Nations Heath Wellbeing and Service Development Manager Corey Poulson.
The action-packed weekend then involved the cadets travelling to RFDS’ Dubbo Aeromedical Base for a behind-the-scenes tour, SIM workshops and a flight simulator experience before the group met current clinicians and then gathered for dinner. The weekend wrapped up on Sunday, but not before a staged, on-farm emergency medical challenge was held at Terramungamine.
RFDS South Eastern Chief Medical Officer, A/Prof. Shannon Nott was one of many facilitators who embraced the opportunity to meet with the cadets, even hosting one of the SIM workshops and participating in a Q&A about his experience as a Rural Generalist.
Clinical Director of Primary Care and Rural Generalism Nici Williams said, "RFDS is always proud to provide immersive, hands-on experiences for our junior doctors and medical students, giving them the opportunity to see firsthand the breadth and rewards of a career in rural and remote medicine.
"We hope that by sharing what working with RFDS really looks like — from clinical care and retrieval medicine to community connection and teamwork — we can inspire the next generation of rural generalists and future health leaders."
Rural Doctors Network Future Workforce Program Lead Eleanor Knight thanked RFDS for a memorable weekend.
“On behalf of Rural Doctors Network, I want to extend a huge thank you to Royal Flying Doctor Service South Eastern Section for so warmly welcoming our cadets to Dubbo and to the Aeromedical Base,” Ms Knight said.
“Few organisations are as deeply woven into Australia's identity as RFDS, and Rural Doctors Network is always honoured to work alongside trusted organisations like this to offer our cadets enriching and rewarding experiences that combine learning, connection and professional growth.
“Opportunities such as the Cadet RFDS weekend allow us to further promote how impactful and positive it can be for our current cadets to practise in rural and regional locations such as this in the future,” she said.
Related news – Cadet announced as 2026 Medical Student of the Year (NSW/ACT)
A huge congratulations to Rural Doctors Network cadet Tabitha Jones from Grenfell, who has been announced as the 2026 Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Medical Student of the Year (NSW/ACT)!
Formerly practising as a pharmacist, Ms Jones is now in her fifth and final year of her Doctor of Medicine degree at Charles Sturt University and has been recognised for her commitment to rural and remote medicine, leadership and community service.
Ms Jones will now be a finalist at the national ACRRM Awards, with the winners announced at Rural Medicine Australia (RMA26) in Adelaide on 23 October.
RDN wishes her good luck and congratulations on this amazing achievement.
Thinking of going bush? Register for the Medical Student Rural Inspiration Conference
If you’re a medical student with an interest in rural medicine, then make sure you come to this year’s Medical Student Rural Inspiration Conference on Saturday 28 November at Hilton Sydney.
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