Since its inception in 2001 for rural placements and its 2022 expansion to a full four-year MD, the Dubbo program aims to strengthen the rural health workforce and improve access in underserved areas.

A significant portion of graduates hail from rural or regional backgrounds and intend to practice medicine in regional, rural, and remote areas to help close workforce gaps.

The University of Sydney regional medical school in Dubbo now allows a four-year Doctor of Medicine program to be completed entirely in Dubbo, contributing 24 graduates in its first regional cohort.

Admissions prioritize Indigenous and regional recruitment, evaluating candidates through GAMSAT, GPA, a personal statement, and an interview, with applicants choosing Camperdown or Dubbo Stream.

Liam Morrissey, a rural-background student from Coonabarabran, plans to complete his internship at Dubbo Base Hospital, illustrating the program’s pipeline to regional practice.

Josie Cross of Grafton is pushing for opportunities in under-resourced communities and urges others to consider the Dubbo Stream.

Current data show disparities in healthcare access and workforce, with far fewer GPs per 100,000 people in very remote areas (73) than in metropolitan areas (114.6), and an urban-rural expenditure gap of about $1,090 per person annually in 2025.

The program is framed as a long-term strategy to return services to regional communities and fortify the local health workforce, rather than simply moving city doctors to rural hospitals.