This year, the Psychiatry Interest Forum (PIF) program supported and hosted a range of activities to designed to support learning, connection, and career pathways in rural psychiatry. 

Here are some highlights of PIF initiatives to advance rural psychiatry. 

Introduction to Psychiatry Rural Short Course – Mount Gambier, SA

On Saturday 11 October 2025, PIF hosted the Introduction to Psychiatry Rural Short Course at the Flinders Rural and Remote Health campus in Mount Gambier. The program was attended by 25 medical students and junior doctors from South Australia and featured five Fellows who shared their experiences on rural psychiatry. 

PIF members engaged in a diverse program of presentations and networking sessions covering the psychiatry training pathway, rural and telehealth practice, and working with First Nations communities. The course also included an impactful talk by a mental health peer support worker, who shared lived experience and advocated for improved rural mental health services. 

One of the PIF member reflected, “What helped most were a few grounded conversations. Dr Jacob Alexander took the mystery out of training by explaining which rotations to prioritise, how supervision works in the regions, and where to begin my journey in psychiatry career. With Dr Martin Downs, I gained a clear picture of day-to-day work in a regional service, the value of continuity, and how small teams build trust over time. Dr Pabasari Ginige drew on long experience to show how varied a week can be and how culturally responsive care is part of routine psychiatry outside the city. Dr Neeraj Gupta offered a practical view of old age psychiatry that relies on close collaboration with primary care and builds skills that transfer across settings. The dinner and the informal conversations made it easy to have more conversations with the speakers.”
Julia Kim, Medical Student 4th year at Flinders University
Photo: PIF Introduction to Psychiatry Rural Short Course – Mount Gambier, SA

Facilitated Networking Activity 

The PIF Facilitated Networking Activity was hosted at University of Newcastle and University of Tasmania from July to August, supporting local and remote students to attend hybrid and/or in-person sessions, and gain insights into psychiatry careers.

Read more about this activity and reflections.

Scholarships to University Medical and Psychiatry Societies

This year, PIF expanded its engagement by supporting 11 rural clinical schools and/or universities with campuses in rural or regional areas to host their events and activities promoting psychiatry careers. 

RANZCP Rural Readiness Workshops support to local PIF members

As part of the RANZCP’s 2025 Rural Readiness Workshops, local PIF members were supported to take part in the networking event and selected workshops to learn more about the rural psychiatry pathways from local psychiatrists and trainees.   

A PIF attendee said, “I appreciated the opportunity to engage informally with other attendees, including trainees and SIMGs, and to hear their diverse experiences and questions about rural psychiatry. The session strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in regional mental health and deepened my understanding of the social and cultural contexts that shape psychiatric practice in Australia.” 
Emma Robertson, 6^th year medical student, James Cook University

DRIVERS 2025 Conference

In September, PIF supported two members to attend to the DRIVERS 2025 conference hosted by Monash Rural Health & Gippsland Regional Training Hub. This 2- day conference included the latest advancements in rural health research and provided attendees an opportunity to network with psychiatrists and registrars at the gala dinner.

Scholars reflected: “The incredible keynote sessions, research presentations, and panel discussions touched on the current realities of rural healthcare, celebrated all of the exciting progress made thus far, and inspired us to dream of innovative ways we can drive change in the future. Dr Nahidi’s presentation on the challenges of rural psychiatry was insightful, highlighting the importance of improving mental health care in rural areas given the higher rates of mental illness that exist.” 
Madison McDonald, 3rd year medical student, University of Melbourne
 
“Presentations from Dr Jasmine Elliot and Dr Shizar Nahidi highlighted innovative, patient-centred approaches to care and underscored the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration between psychiatrists, general practitioners, and allied health professionals in achieving sustainable outcomes. This experience has strengthened my commitment to a career that combines rural practice with mental health advocacy, education, and research, ultimately improving access and outcomes for underserved populations.”
Ai Xin Chew, 1^st year medical student, Monash University

Australian Medical Student Association (AMSA) Rural Health Summit Conference

PIF participated and supported the AMSA Rural Health Summit conference in Perth, including a trade booth and sponsorship of a dedicated rural psychiatry breakout session. PIF also sponsored four First Nations members with an interest in rural psychiatry to attend this conference in April. 

A scholarship recipient reflected: “The summit deepened my appreciation for the unique challenges faced by rural health practitioners, such as limited resources, professional isolation, and the complex interplay of social determinants of health. Equally, it highlighted the immense rewards: strong community relationships, and broad clinical exposure. I have always had a strong passion for psychiatry but have also been curious into the roles of a rural generalist. This conference assisted me into gaining a deeper understanding of these specific roles with rural healthcare systems.”
Jasmyn Williams, 4^th year medical student, University of Melbourne

Read more about their reflection.

Australian Medical Student Association Rural Psychiatry Placement Bursaries

PIF provided 10 rural placement scholarships to medical students undertaking a psychiatry placement in a MM2-MM7 rural area from June 2025–26. 

After completing the placements, PIF scholars shared their reflections on what they have learned and the unique benefits of training in a rural setting:

“During my time with the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service Drug & Alcohol team, I observed how we can optimise the delivery of culturally safe care through the routine involvement of staff such as Indigenous peer workers with lived experience. Interventions such as this can help combat some of the main barriers preventing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from accessing medical services, such as cultural inappropriateness and racism.” 
Sachinie Vithanage, 5^th year medical student, University of Newcastle 

Read more about their reflection their reflection.

“I have learned that to be in such a position of power and with such limited resources, practicing psychiatry in such a small and complex town like Alice Springs is a huge endeavour and one I hope to effect positive change in, not just for people in inpatients and community, but for the psychiatry department teams across NT as well. I feel that this placement has strengthened my drive to deliver quality mental health care to those most vulnerable in terms of remoteness, complexity and disadvantage, and I am privileged to be in a position to choose to do so.”
Loni Schramm, 3^rd year medical student, Flinders University (NT)

Read more about their reflection their reflection.

“This placement has opened my prospects to the meaningful and rewarding careers possible in rural psychiatry as well as putting me in contact with practicing consultants who graduated through rural and regional training schemes that I had not previously known about. As a result of this placement, I have decided to spend my final year in a regional location and look forward to my next psychiatric rotation with a mind to applying for training.”
Mike Kendall, 3^rd year medical student, University of Western Australia

Read more about their reflection their reflection.