News - NewMed

NewMed to Showcase Innovations in Medical Education at ANZAHPE 2025

NewMed is set to make a strong contribution at the Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators (ANZAHPE) 2025 conference, presenting a series of presentations and posters that underscore its commitment to transforming medical education in Australia. The conference, held in Perth from June 30 to July 3, 2025, will see NewMed deliver three key oral presentations and display four insightful posters.

NewMed’s presentations will delve into critical areas of medical training. These include presenting our unique approach to clinical placements in general practice, which are integrated from the earliest stages of the curriculum. Another will focus on the vital importance of fostering leadership and professionalism among medical students, a cornerstone of the NewMed philosophy. The third presentation will explore the integration of research and evidence-based medicine into the core curriculum, equipping future doctors with the skills for lifelong learning and critical thinking.

Complementing these talks, NewMed will present four posters covering a range of pressing topics in medical education. These include the design of a robust ethics process for student research, a forward-thinking biomedical science curriculum, innovative strategies for embedding professionalism, and a comprehensive overview of how NewMed is a game changer in Australian medical education.

Through these presentations and posters, NewMed will demonstrate its dedication to producing a new generation of doctors who are not only clinically adept but also research-literate, professionally grounded, and ready to lead the future of healthcare in Australia and also making substantial contributions to health professions education scholarship in Australia.

NewMed Staff Embrace AIDA Training, Embedding Cultural Safety in New Medical Program

On April 12 all Academic staff at NewMed participated in critical cultural safety training facilitated by the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA), reinforcing their commitment to embedding culturally safe practices within the NewMedl program and clinical interactions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. This proactive initiative aims to address systemic health inequities and ensure future doctors are equipped to provide respectful and responsive care.

The AIDA-led training provides a vital framework for understanding the historical and ongoing impacts of colonisation on the health and wellbeing of First Nations peoples. By engaging directly with this curriculum, NewMed’s educators are enhancing their capacity to weave cultural safety into every aspect of the medical curriculum, from basic sciences to complex clinical scenarios.

This commitment extends beyond the physical and virtual classroom. NewMed academic staff are dedicated to modelling culturally safe behaviours and allyship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and communities in their own clinical work, creating role models for their students. This involves fostering respectful communication, understanding the importance of family and community connections in health decisions, and recognising the central role of culture in the healing process.

By championing these principles, NewMed is not only striving to create a more inclusive learning environment but is also taking a definitive step towards graduating a new generation of medical professionals who are genuinely prepared to partner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and contribute to closing the health gap.

NewMed wishes to thank AIDA and our facilitators on the day Dr Olivia O’Donoghue and Dr Jacinta Power, along with AIDA Senior Project Officer Samara Williams for generously sharing their time and experience in an enjoyable, educational and collegial manner.

NewMed celebrates 2024

As 2024 comes to a close, we reflect on the exciting year of growth and progress towards establishing an outstanding new Medical School in Australia.

This year marked many exciting milestones with our move to a new office in the heart of Brisbane city on Turbot Street, the introduction of 15 new staff, and our submission of application to TEQSA to become a University College.

We also completed our Stage 1 submission to the Australian Medical Council. A key highlight recently was the faculty workshop attended by all staff, focusing on aligning our academic and operational goals for the exciting journey ahead.

It was great to have an in person event, bringing everyone together from across the country (and New Zealand) as we collaborated on further program development towards delivery of world-class education for our planned inaugural cohort starting in January 2027 (subject to accreditation).

We capped off the year with a Christmas dinner at Malt Dining. It was a perfect way to celebrate our achievements, share the joy in our collective efforts, and express gratitude to the wonderful team.

As we look ahead to 2025, thank you all for being part of this incredible journey. We especially thank the many general practices around Australia who wish to take on NewMed medical students.

Warm wishes for a joyful Christmas, the holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

– The NewMed Team

NewMed visits GP24

At GP24 in Perth, NewMed was delighted to connect with our specialist GP colleagues and describe our mission, values and curriculum. The conference theme of “Reimagine health care” provided an excellent basis for discussing our innovations in medical education and how these take a community-situated, GP-first approach with technology-enabled delivery. Delegates had their curiosity sparked, and joined conversations about our aims and progress to date. Thank you for the positive and stimulating dialogue, and looking forward to seeing everyone again in 2025.

Pictured: Dr. Sharee Stedman, Dr. Shannon Saad and Professor Brad Murphy

Rural Medicine Australia (RMA)

Dr. Natasha Yates and Professor Stephen Tobin

NewMed was honoured to sponsor the Conference App for RMA24. The conference, held in Darwin, was a wonderfully collaborative venture between ACRRM and RDA. NewMed resonates deeply with many of the values underpinning both of these organisations, and looks forward to ongoing conversations around how we can train medical students in rural and remote placements across Australia. Thank you to the many GPs and Rural Generalists who met with us, and for the enthusiasm shown for NewMed’s program.

Do you practise in outer urban, regional, rural or remote communities?

NewMed is establishing a new 4-year graduate medical school, with an emphasis on primary care and appealing to prospective students living in outer urban, regional and rural Australia.

NewMed is advancing through regulatory processes (TEQSA, AMC) and plans for its first cohort to commence in 2027.

Students will be distributed across the country, learning through a new high-quality MD Program.

The delivery model uses advanced technologies to engage students in facilitated online small group learning, complemented by face-to-face weeks, and professionally supervised placements.

Aspiring doctors can study medicine in their home community across the first three years. Supervised clinical time in General Practice is needed for 4 hours per week in the first year, increasing to 8 hours/week (year 2) and 24 hours/week (year 3).

Year 4 will require clinical placements in towns with suitable hospitals.

Supporting your investment in the next generation, NewMed offers a stipend (similar and in addition to any PIP payments), active support and training from NewMed GP academics, and the opportunity of a local student remaining with a local practice over three years, developing their skills and contributing to care under supervision.

Would you like to support a local to become a doctor?

Please email soon GPplacements@newmedschool.com.au

NewMed celebrates its TEQSA submission

On July 15th, the NewMed team uploaded the NewMed application to become a University College, to the TEQSA portal, marking the culmination of a two-year journey involving contributions from all staff. Together, they compiled 585 documents, encompassing policies, procedures, the innovative curriculum, and sample course content.

To celebrate this milestone, a dynamic two-day staff workshop was held in Brisbane, with team members from Sydney and Melbourne. The event featured collaborative discussions, strategic planning, and a special team dinner at Gusto da Gianni, where distinguished guest Ms. Taffy Gould, a pioneer in distance medical education, shared her insights. Ms Gould’s advocacy for extended community-based learning before hospital placements is supported by NewMed’s approach, benefiting students in rural and remote areas. The dinner facilitated rich conversations, shared experiences, and strengthened bonds within the NewMed team. As the team looks forward, the focus is now on continued program development, with innovative content and activities that deepen student learning and foster interactions between students and faculty.

General practice from day dot

The Medical Republic recently interviewed NewMed CEO Professor Stephen Tobin to talk about the proposed innovative new medical school. With clinical experience in general practice from the first week, the program aims to enrol 95 students, commencing in 2027, subject to regulatory approvals.

Professor Tobin emphasised the need for more graduate doctors in regional and rural areas. The program is designed around a geographically distributed model, allowing students to study in their local communities.

Read more about this on The Medical Republic here.

NewMed goes to RDAQ

Left to right: Professor Stephen Tobin, Dr. Brad Murphy OAM, Associate Professor Sue Hawken and Associate Professor Iulia Oancea

The Queensland branch of the Rural Doctors Association held their 2024 annual conference at the Brisbane Convention Centre. NewMed took out a sponsorship kiosk at the event, in order to introduce the medical world to our brand, vision and values. Our CEO, Professor Stephen Tobin and Independent Board Director Dr. Brad Murphy were joined by Associate Professors Iulia Oancea and Sue Hawken to represent NewMed. Their mission was to talk to rural GPs, practice owners and college leadership about clinical placements, and to spread the word about NewMed. Thanks to our team of dedicated academic staff who went to throw out the banner on behalf of us all!

Welcome Dr. Natasha Yates

Natasha brings expertise in medical education and extensive experience of urban, rural and remote medicine to the NewMed team. A specialist GP, Natasha has cared for patients in a range of settings, from small town clinics and hospitals, to working as a solo practitioner in remote Arnhem Land communities, as well as an urban First Nations health clinic. Her current work is in a mainstream general practice. She worked for 12 years as an Assistant Professor of general practice at Bond University, resigning from this role to pursue a PhD in Medical Education which she is currently part-way through.

Category: News