First Nations research and engagement

Any research involving First Nations Australians must involve collaboration with First Nations communities, empowering them to define their research questions, methodologies, and outcomes. This participatory approach ensures that research benefits First Nations communities directly and respects their rights and sovereignty.

In supporting First nations health research, we acknowledge the unique cultural, social, and historical contexts of First Nations communities. We respect traditional knowledge and practices while integrating them with modern healthcare approaches, ensuring that interventions are culturally appropriate and effective.

It is well documented that First Nations Australians experience significant health disparities compared to non-First Nations Australians. Research in First Nations health will contribute to understanding the root causes of these disparities and developing strategies to address them, ultimately working towards health equity, and ‘closing the gap’.

The School of Rural Medicine is developing collaborations with First Nations communities and organisations to ensure that our medical students, should they wish, are enabled to support First Nations research.

We have a strong program and admissions pathway for First Nations students. Nothing will ‘close the gap’ faster than having First Nations medical graduates supporting their rural communities. As researchers, we work with the AHMRC to ensure the research projects within First Nations communities are culturally appropriate and community sponsored. We encourage our First Nations students to investigate projects in First Nations issues.

Since 2023, we have supported First Nations students undertaking research projects in the following areas:

• What are the experiences of First Nations medical practitioners of workplace cultural safety?
• The experiences of Aboriginal patients receiving care at the Bowraville GP clinic
• How do the experiences of First Nations pre-vocational medical practitioners influence the perception of workplace cultural safety?
• The Impact of Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer Workplace Location on First Nations Emergency Department Engagement and 28-Day Re-presentations: A Retrospective Observational Comparison of Two Rural Emergency Departments
• Evaluation of Australia’s First Mobile CT Service Solution: Enhancing Access to Computed Tomography (CT) Services in Rural and Remote Areas of New South Wales

Support for First Nations students

What we hope to achieve through our First Nations research program:

• Improvements in the health and wellbeing of First Nations Australians, by addressing the unique challenges they face, such as disparities in healthcare access, higher rates of chronic disease and socio-economic inequalities.
• Promotion of diversity and inclusivity within the academic and research community, and to foster a more inclusive and equitable research environment.
• Promote the concept of data sovereignty, which asserts First Nations rights to control, access, and utilise their health data. Respecting data sovereignty ensures that research benefits First Nations communities directly and that data are used ethically and responsibly.
• In December 2023, the School of Rural Medicine welcomed Ms Lynette Bullen. Lynette, a proud Wiradjuri woman, is a clinician with over 30 years’ experience in the drug and alcohol field, and in December was awarded the Western Health Research Network (WHRN) Indigenous Researcher of the Year award. Lynette has supervised our MD students and is currently a dedicated Adjunct Lecturer in our School. Professor Aunty Kerrie Doyle joined the School of Rural Medicine in July 2025 as the Associate Head of School, Indigenous Health, and brings extensive experience in research. Robert Doyle joined the team as our new Lecturer in Medicine, Indigenous Health and will become involved in a variety of research projects.

Madelyn Johnson

SRM student, Year 2 2024

“I am a proud Gomeroi Yinarr from Moree. My decision to pursue Medicine as a career stemmed from my experiences from working in the Aboriginal Medical Service in my community. Having the exposure of seeing the struggle that people in rural communities face and the disparities between mob and others was really the driving factor for me. This artwork 'ngiyaani' (meaning 'we all') tells the story of our journey in Medical school and how 'we all' are on this journey together. The main camp in the middle being here in Orange and then branching out to our clinical schools/smaller camps.”