Port Macquarie Student Refresher Conference inspires "doctors of tomorrow"

RDN cadets and cadet alumni from the NSW Health-funded Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship Program were in Port Macquarie over the weekend for RDN's Student Refresher Conference.

This year, 52 student cadets attended the Student Refresher Conference at Rydges Port Macquarie, with a further 12 doctor cadets attending the Rural GPs Conference at Sails Port Macquarie. Some Cadets also took advantage of the opportunity to attend the Advanced Life Support training workshops ahead of the conference and some brought kids and partners to enjoy the family-friendly program. 

After a welcome function at Sails mixing with GPs in town for the Rural GPs Refresher Conference, proceedings kicked off on Friday with a presentation on Broken Hill RPR, including a talk from ANU graduate Dr Natalie Gordon, a Junior Medical Officer and Indigenous Cadet, who is now ten weeks into working at Broken Hill Base Hospital, and loving the beauty of one of Australia’s authentic outback cities.  

Saturday held a full schedule of educational presentations on topics such as the RPR and AMW application process, rural GP pathways, interview training, wellbeing, managing challenging behaviours, before a social afternoon and evening which ended with the students joining rural GPs at Sails for the Conference dinner. 

Sunday morning concluded the Conference with presentations on endocrine pearls for GPs and ADHD in general practice in 2025. 

RDN’s Future Workforce Program Lead Ang Kerr said: “The Rural GPs Refresher Conference and Student Refresher Conference provided another opportunity to bring together our student, doctor and alumni Cadets and gave them the opportunity to network with our conference speakers and RDN staff at the Cadet dinner, which has now become a key component of our conferences.” 

“We delivered another varied program for our student Cadets including sessions relevant to their upcoming Internship applications. Joining the Rural GPs Refresher Conference for sessions on the Sunday and engaging with Rural GPs wrapped up a great weekend.” 

Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetships are offered to medical students who demonstrate a commitment to undertaking a medical career in rural NSW. Successful applicants receive financial assistance for the final two years of their medical degree – or, in the case of Indigenous students, spread throughout the course of their study. In return, the cadets agree to undertake two of the first three years of their hospital training in an eligible rural NSW hospital. Cadets receive ongoing mentoring and support through RDN.

Related reading:

• RDN unveils alumni program to celebrate 35 years of the Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship