Study confirms Rural Medical Cadetship provides long-term workforce pipeline for rural health

Rural Doctors Network has published a study of the 36-year-old NSW Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship program that shows that 64% of survey respondents have remained working in country communities.

Founded in 1989, the successful Cadetship Program is administered by Rural Doctors Network and funded by the NSW Ministry of Health with the Indigenous Cadetship program added in 2012. 

National Rural Health Commissioner, Professor Jenny May, has praised the success of the Program. 

“There’s real evidence, and we’ve seen it in the numbers, that spending time…in a rural location is probably the best predictor of rural return and actually trumps rural origin and rural exposure...” Professor May said.

“I’ve been a supporter, I’ve been a mentor…I did the first evaluation, so to me, the Program is really special,” she said. 

 

 

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Related reading:

• RDN Cadet “part of the solution” (2026)
• Albury welcomes Cadets for first Cadet Weekend Trip for 2026 
• The sky’s the limit for former Rural Doctors Network Cadet, Dr Danielle Smith! (2026)