Rural Australians suffer a disproportionate level of burden from surgical disease with fewer surgeons to service the rural population, compared to their metropolitan counterparts. Among the barriers to early rural surgical training is the burden of assessment, which has traditionally been a time-consuming process, relying upon expert surgical consultants. Within resource poor, rural settings, the feasibility of expert assessment is often minimal, which is a barrier to the implementation of a junior, rural focused training curriculum. Artificial intelligence (AI) based skills assessment in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been proposed as a time and cost-effective alternative to expert assessment using standard objective measures (SOMs). Our study aimed to systematically review the current literature SOMs to compare AI based MIS skills assessment with expert assessment, and to provide insight into the current reliability of AI surgical skills detection systems. We show AI has a role in MIS skill assessment when used in conjunction with SOMs. Rural surgical training programs should consider incorporating AI based surgical skills assessment in conjunction with a SOM, to enhance the construct validity of AI based skills assessment protocols and encourage further investment and research into the feasibility of AI based surgical skill assessment in rural settings.

The mental health of rural Australians is a significant ongoing challenge for health systems around the country, with workforce and access to healthcare observed as recurring themes. Rural generalism has been shown to be a successful opportunity to increase patient access and health outcomes throughout rural Australia in other areas of medicine, however limited research has explored its role in psychiatry.

This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of patients seen by a rural generalist working as part of community mental health outpatient team.

Data was collected retrospectively for patients seen by the rural generalist clinic and compared with historical control data for patients who previously had been referred but were declined a review. The outcomes examined in this study included re-enagement with the service through re-referral or re-presentation as well as major adverse outcomes such as suicide.

There was found to be a statistically significant lower rate of re-engagement and re-referral in the sample of patients seen by the rural generalist, supporting the hypothesis that the role of a rural generalist within an outpatient mental health team can have a positive impact on the community.

The aim of this project was to conduct a comprehensive retrospective analysis of spirometry data collected from individuals who have presented to the North Blackwater General Practice, Queensland between 2006 and 2023. The practice is based in a coal mining town and conducts assessments on coal mine workers under the Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme (CMWHS). The retrospective analysis, for the purpose of assessment, considers abnormal spirometry results, including both those employed in open cut mining and residents of Blackwater, Queensland, with or without diagnosed lung conditions, and seeks to identify major findings that could lead to further opportunities or avenues for research or improvement of public health outcomes. The major findings extracted from the complete datasets obtained from NBGP strongly reinforce the established link between coal dust exposure and the correlation to various lung diseases, including the debilitating and largely preventable CWP. While the local incidence rates of CWP remain relatively low in and around Blackwater, the findings indicate a significant presence of various lung diseases among the population, attributed to probable exposure to coal mine dust, both on a residential and occupational level.

Basic science serves as the cornerstone that underpins clinical medicine. However, most studies on knowledge retention among physicians have focused on interns and surgeons with no existing study on general practitioners (GPs). Given the extensive scope of practice of GPs, it is essential that they have good foundational knowledge to aid sound clinical judgement. Using sequential explanatory mixed methods knowledge retention was determined by a multiple-choice examination followed by interviews on the registrars' perception of the relevance and utility of basic sciences.
Sixty-one (61) GP registrars participated in the basic science examination while 11 registrars participated in the interviews. The highest mean score was obtained in biochemistry (75.1 ± 2.23) while the lowest mean score was in anatomy (56.07 ± 3.16). Male participants outperformed their female counterparts in anatomy. Interviews revealed five themes, including basic sciences–as the backbone of clinical medicine, varying utility of basic sciences over time, integration of encapsulated basic science knowledge, professional pressures hindering revisiting of basic science knowledge and measures to enhance updating of basic science knowledge.
Basic sciences were considered relevant in clinical practice. Development of CPDs and clinically relevant online resources were measures proposed to enhance the retention of knowledge.

Advanced skills training (AST) is a prerequisite for rural generalist training in Australia, where Rural Generalists (RGs) undergo specialised training in a distinct discipline for a period of 12 months. This study investigated the perspectives of RGs regarding the factors influencing their selection of AST programs. Using a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach, quantitative survey data and qualitative data were collected. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted on the quantitative data, while thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data.

A total of 106 RGs completed the survey, with 13 participating in interviews (supervisors n=5; registrars n=8). RGs perceived AST as beneficial in improving patient outcomes (57.5%) and enhancing patient satisfaction (49.1%). Intrinsic motivations for pursuing AST included personal interest, professional growth, and a desire to enhance patient care. However, funding challenges, burnout, and workload were identified as significant barriers to acquiring advanced skills. Qualitative analysis identified six themes, three each related to facilitators (e.g., desire to work rurally, meeting workforce needs, and support networks) and barriers (e.g., work-life balance, mismatched expectations, and inadequate recognition of AST).

While AST is highly valued and intrinsically motivating for RGs, ensuring its sustainability requires improved recognition, visibility, and alignment with community needs.

Unique barriers like professional and geographical isolation prevent rural physicians and other rural health workers from engaging in relevant research and quality improvement initiatives. Programs such as 6for6 at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, and the Rural Research Capacity Building Program (RRCBP) in Australia aim to address this gap by providing rural healthcare practitioners (RHPs) with dedicated training programs to develop their research skills (and thus) capacity by conceptualizing and completing rural research projects.
Both 6for6 and the RRCBP offer blended learning models, including online and onsite sessions, mentorship, and hands-on experience. Participants gain the competencies necessary to design, conduct, and disseminate innovative research projects relevant to the health of their rural communities. They also report increased capability in research and in their professional lives more broadly. For many a transformational learning experience in their professional identity.
We will describe how each program has created an environment in which RHPs can strengthen individual research capability and research capacity in rural communities. By comparing the models and contexts across countries, essential elements of success and the nuance of rurality in research will be explored.

The child with a limp is a common presentation to both the general practice clinic and smaller emergency department. It can be a real diagnostic dilemma, with underlying causes that can range from the benign to the catastrophic with sometimes only subtle cues in the history or examination. Once traumatic causes of the limp have been excluded, a systematic approach to the diagnosis and follow up on these patients needs to be adopted to help differentiate between the common and non-worrying cases such as transient synovitis, and the time-critical and life threatening cases of sepsis, meningococcal and acute rheumatic fever. There are multiple incidences of coronial cases where life-threatening illness was missed in children presented with features of inability to weight bear.

The aim for this educational session is to help clinicians develop a systematic approach to the limping child, and empower them to recognise the unwell child and act accordingly.