Go Rural

Rural road trip for university health care students

Each year, as part of its commitment to growing and supporting the future rural health workforce, Rural Doctors Network (RDN) organises "Go Rural" student road trips to rural and remote areas of New South Wales. Over four days, Go Rural takes university students out to visit medical facilities and hear from guest speakers, as well as participate in community and cultural events such as farm visits and Aboriginal culture tours. It offers an incredible opportunity for medical, nursing and allied health students to see first-hand the benefits of working rurally and forms part of RDN's program of rural immersion experiences designed to encourage students towards a career in rural health.

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Who can apply?
Cost
Dates and itineraries
Apply now!
Testimonial
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Who can apply?

Go Rural is open to university students enroled in a medical (1st or 2nd year ONLY), nursing, midwifery or allied health degree in NSW/ACT. This includes overseas students. Up to 20 students will be selected to participate in each event.

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Cost

Go Rural is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and administered by RDN.
The program funding covers the cost of:

coach transport
shared accommodation
most meals
all activities/tours.

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Dates and Itineraries

RDN runs several Go Rural student road trips a year. Keep an eye on this page and our social media, or sign up for our newsletter at the link below to be sure not to miss any updates regarding this trip or future trips as they're released!

Read about our Go Rural trips from 2025:

In September, students witnessed “Rolling hills, canola fields and wild brumbies”: Third and final Go Rural trip for 2025 a “picture perfect” experience!
In June 2025, Go Rural students "on the road again", visiting Central and Far Western NSW.
March saw the first 2025 Go Rural health student road trip tour the central north.

Watch:

NBN News reports on RDN's Go Rural student road trip

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Apply now!

Applications for the third and final Go Rural trip for 2025 are now closed.

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Testimonial

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First year medicine student from the University of Notre Dame Olivia Falcomata and second year medicine student from the Australian National University Ruby Atkin attended a Go Rural road trip in 2025 of the beautiful central northern region of NSW. The four-day tour stopped at Mudgee, Coonabarabran, Moree, Warialda and Tamworth.

“I grew up in Sydney and I haven't really had much exposure to rural and regional New South Wales and it’s really re-affirmed that I want to work in rural health,” Olivia told RDN during the tour.

“I really don’t want to go back to Sydney today – this has shown me that rural health values the same things as I do in a career.”

In Moree, the students visited Pius X Aboriginal Medical Service and toured Moree Hospital in the afternoon.

“I've never been to an Aboriginal Medical Service before, so that was really cool to see the integration of all the different services in one place. I think that's such an innovative way to solve some of the issues or problems that have been in the past,” Olivia said.

“We were told that, back in history, Aboriginal people weren't able to come to hospital, they weren't allowed and there were restrictions, and from that there’s a lot of inter-generational trauma. So, I think that was really important to learn the history of how they started.”

The social aspect of the tour was a major highlight for the students, meeting locals and getting to know each other.

“I think we're entering a new generation of interdisciplinary working and collaboration and I think it's really important that RDN have included not just medical students, but nurses and physios and psychologists and parameds because that's the workforce, which I'm really excited to be a part of,” Ruby told RDN.