RDN Cadet announced as NSW JMO of the Year

Congratulations to Resident Medical Officer at Tamworth Hospital and current RDN Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadet, Dr Maddeson Hardman, who has been named the 2025 NSW Junior Medical Officer (JMO) of the Year for her work and substantial contribution to the education and support of prevocational trainees. 

The prestigious Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) award recognised Maddeson for her strong advocacy and commitment to improving the education, training and wellbeing of Junior Medical Officers in rural and regional NSW.  

The award also acknowledges the active role Maddeson has played in improving engagement, and developing strategies, to strengthen recruitment and retention in rural pathways. 

Maddeson says she was genuinely surprised to receive the award, which she humbly credited as only being made possible due to the collective efforts of her colleagues and mentors. 

“I couldn't believe it,” Maddeson said. “I know so many people out there are doing incredible things and I think the reason that I was awarded the title is due to the collective contributions of many others,” she said.  

As a President of the Resident Medical Officer Association, Maddeson has been instrumental in overseeing subcommittees which focus on education, wellbeing, JMO support, and social engagement. She has worked closely with hospital executives and Hunter New England Health representatives to enhance the experiences of trainees.    

Described as ‘an unassuming doctor who delivers impactful care for her patients’, Maddeson is compassionate and praised for engaging with the entire multidisciplinary team, strengthening morale and contributing to increased retention of junior staff in the region.  

RDN’s Future Workforce Program Lead, Angela Kerr, congratulated Maddeson and said she’s been an active participant in RDN's Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship program and very deserving of this recognition.  

“Maddeson has been an advocate for the program and has regularly participated in panels to share her journey as a medical student and junior doctor,” Angela said. 

“Maddeson continues to support medical student and junior doctor cadets in Tamworth and we’re thrilled to hear she’s being recognised for all her amazing work – she is a very deserving recipient of this award,” she said.

Maddeson says it’s been important to contribute to the gap between rural and metropolitan health outcomes and that RDN has played a huge role in getting her to where she is today. 

“I'm so grateful for the opportunities and support provided to me by RDN. I genuinely think that I wouldn't be able to achieve my career goals and be as happy as I am here without them – RDN was instrumental in my decision to come to Tamworth,” Maddeson explained.  

“In my third year, RDN took us to Orange and I loved it. I was dead-set on Orange as my first preference. Then in my fourth year, they sent us to Tamworth and I was completely convinced that I need to go to Tamworth! So I ended up changing my preferences!” 

Maddeson says she couldn’t be happier with the decision to choose Tamworth.  

“Tamworth has provided me with so many incredible opportunities and I have never felt so welcomed to a community - and like I belong somewhere - the way I have since coming to Tamworth,” Maddeson said.  

“All the rural hospitals are similar in their structure and what they offer. Tamworth Hospital employees struck me as so passionate. It was obvious to me that their work meant more to them than simply just a job. They really cared about their staff and their community and that was important to me.” 

“It’s such a great community to be a part of and it's really easy to get involved in both educational and social experiences.” 

“I'm so fortunate that we have a Centre of Rural Excellence in Tamworth. We have amazing clinicians that are so intelligent and generous with their time, their teaching and even career support. I've had opportunities to learn a variety of different procedures, be so much more involved in patient care, and be given a little bit of an extra added level of responsibility as well. Ultimately, I think that that has exponentially helped me to grow as a doctor,” she said.  

From everyone at RDN, congratulations Dr Hardman!

Dr Hardman will now represent NSW in the Australia and New Zealand Prevocational Medical Education Forum awards, to be announced in November 2025. 

To learn more about Maddeson’s Award and accomplishments, click here.

RDN, on behalf of the NSW Ministry of Health, offers cadetships to medical students with a strong intent to undertake a medical career in rural NSW.