NewMed celebrates 2024

179 Turbot Street

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 2026 (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 Dr. Brad Murphy

Rural Medicine Australia (RMA) 

Dr. Natasha Yates and Professor Stephen Tobin
Dr. Natasha Yates and Professor Stephen Tobin
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 2026.

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.

General Practice students in years 1, 2 and 3
Hospital placement in year 4

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

July 2024 team dinner
July 2024 team dinner
July 2024 team dinner: (Left to Right)
Suzi Robertson
E/Prof. Peter Little
Dr. Rachelle Levi
Taffy Gould
Dr. Samuel Chan
Lance Scaife-Elliott
Christy Patton
Professor Hayder Al-Aubaidy
Dr. Dina Jamil
Bob O’Connor
Sheridan Cubby
Professor Stephen Tobin
Associate Professor Iulia Oancea
Associate Professor Sue Hawken
Dr. Natasha Yates

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 2026 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
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

Dr. Natasha Yates
Dr. Natasha Yates
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.

Welcome Dr. Sue Hawken

Dr. Sue Hawkens
Associate Professor Sue Hawken
Associate Professor Sue Hawken

NewMed is excited to announce that Dr. Sue Hawken will join the NewMed team from March 1st. Sue is an experienced medical educator, general practitioner, and professional supervisor. She developed and led the personal and professional skills domain at the University of Auckland’s medical programme and has held multiple educational leadership roles in the RNZCGP. 

Sue has been a specialist general practitioner for 28 years, and has over 20 years experience teaching into the medical program at the University of Auckland. She has held multiple roles including the coordinator the Professional, Clinical and Communication Skills courses in years 2 and 3, the Phase 2 Director and creating and leading the innovative Personal and Professional Skills domain of the medical programme.

Sue’s teaching philosophy is to model a student-centred approach for learners as a pathway to understanding the elements of providing patient-centred care.