How is climate change shaping the health of rural and remote communities—and what can GPs do right now to help?

In this special episode of RVTS4GPs, we bring you the keynote address from Professor Nicholas Talley, recorded at the 2025 RVTS Grand Round: On the Frontline – Rural GPs Caring for Communities in a Changing Climate.

Professor Talley speaks with passion and urgency about the health impacts of climate change, highlighting the challenges for rural practice and issuing a powerful call to action for GPs everywhere.

Whether you're climate-conscious, climate-curious, or simply committed to being the best GP you can be, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration you won't want to miss.

More about Professor Talley:

Distinguished Laureate Professor Nicholas Talley is a world-leading neurogastroenterologist, clinician and educator with a research interest in disorders of gut-brain interactions and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorder. Nick is currently Head, Discipline of Medicine at the University of Newcastle, an NHMRC Leadership Fellow, and Chief Investigator of the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Digestive Health in Newcastle. His undergraduate textbook Clinical Examination (now 9th edition) won 1st place in the British Medical Association Book Awards in 2018. He is currently the Board Chair of Doctors for the Environment Australia, and he is very active in advocating about the serious health impacts of climate change, and promoting adaptation and mitigation by the health system and the community.

Want to keep exploring?

Doctors for the Environment Australia - Green College Guidelines -

Climate and Health Alliance

Green Hospitals

Journal of Climate Change and Health

National guide to preventive health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Fourth Edition ( Chapter 21: Health Impacts of Climate Change )

Carbon Positive Australia

Welcome to this very special podcast episode where we discuss in-depth the recent Medical Journal of Australia supplement collection of five research articles highlighting the successes of the RVTS programme. I am joined by RVTS CEO Dr Pat Giddings and Assoc. Professor Belinda O'Sullivan from the University of Queensland who conducted the research that led to the publications.

This episode will be of interest to anyone concerned about General Practice rural workforce shortage, those wanting to know how to support GP registrars in rural and remote areas, the special ingredients required in a successful remote supervision model, the training and support of Overseas Trained doctors to gain GP fellowship and providing meaningful First Nations Cultural training and support for GP registrars.

This is a long episode, so grab your coffee or plug-in as you drive to and from work to hear the research findings detailing what has made RVTS so successful in achieving impressive workplace retention as well as fellowship success for the past, nearly 25 years.

Timestamps are noted below in case you want to fast forward to an area of special interest but I thoroughly recommend you taking the time to listen to the whole episode as there are many hidden gems.

Have a great day.

Dr Meryl Nicol

The link to the MJA supplement is here and a published editorial in Insight+ is here

Time

Notes

00.16

Introductions

1:41

How did the publication come about?

3:10

How is RVTS different as a GP training provider?

5:23

Location-based training - benefits to communities and participants

5:39

500 doctors to 350+ communities

6:02

Research results - reported benefits of communities and participants

7:38

Policy maker gains - Closing the Gap, Rural work force and Cruck review

8:52

Overseas trained doctors or IMG's and keys to success

11:03

Comfort

11:42

Confidence

12:15

Competence

13:21

Belonging and face to face workshops

14:01

Bonding

15:25

RVTS support, Overseas trained doctor satisfaction

20:57

RVTS supervision model

25.32

RVTS - how cost effective is it?

29.12

Retention years of return

30.14

Years of service in the community of RVTS registrars

34.08

Hidden costs of locums

36.15

70% of registrars are inland not coastal

37.53

Targeted recruitment model - rural workforce solutions for remote and very remote locations

46.56

Contribution to First Nations Health and Reconciliation Action Plan

49.48

RVTS Reconciliation Action Plan

52.21

Cultural mentor research findings

53.05

Surprises for the evaluator -multilayered support

55.22

Cumulatively, NOT a small programme

56.29

Scalability

57.41

Best practice model for supporting doctors especially IMG's in resource-poor environments,

58.26

Transferable model to other disciplines

58.47

Making a difference

59.25

Wonderful to work with the team at UQ

1.00.36

Final comments from Assoc Prof Belinda O'Sullivan

1.02.38

Final thanks

In this episode of RVTS4GP's, we have two excerpts taken from our popular first-year webinar on Men's Health. The presenter is Dr Justin Coleman, a very experienced GP currently working in Brisbane in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Justin has a vast experience in medical education, including being a co-editor for Murtagh's General Practice.

The two topics reviewed briefly in this episode are Gynaecomastia followed by Androgen Deficiency.

References: The Healthy Male for Health Professionals and Healthy Male Clinical Summary Guides

RVTS resources for RVTS GP registrars: Log-in required to RVTS online: Men's Health Part 1, Alex, Angus, Joe Part 1, Joe Part 2, Mark

Please like and subscribe if you enjoyed the episode so that others can find us.

This episode is Part 2 of a two-part conversation with Associate Professor Dr Chris Hogan, addressing how to stay safe in our practices when dealing with agitated, distressed or potentially dangerous patients. Listen to tips, tricks and wisdom from Chris, gleaned from forty years of rural, general and hospital practice.

This is an important topic that GP registrars are advised to discuss with their supervisors.

In this episode we explore unexpected violence, practical tips to ensure a safe environment, the difficulties of sedation, and doctor's self-care.

Trigger Warning: In this two-part series we discuss some serious episodes of violence in the GP setting. If you have been impacted by violence or threat in any way, please consider getting some help and debriefing with a trusted person.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast, including but not limited to, opinions, statements or perspectives are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of RVTS.

References:

Mental Health Emergencies Summary: Assoc. Prof. Chris Hogan

LITFL Behavioural Emergency Management

Business Security Information Kit – Victoria Police

RACGP: Ensuring your Practice is Safe and Secure: Security

In this episode, we sit down for Part One of a two-part conversation with Associate Professor Dr Chris Hogan, addressing how to stay safe in our practices when dealing with agitated, distressed or potentially dangerous patients. Listen to tips, tricks and wisdom from Chris, gleaned from forty years of rural, general and hospital practice.

This is an important topic that GP registrars are advised to discuss with their supervisors.

Trigger Warning: In this two-part series we discuss some serious episodes of violence in the GP setting. If you have been impacted by violence or threat in any way, please consider getting some help and debriefing with a trusted person.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast, including but not limited to, opinions, statements or perspectives are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of RVTS.

References:

Mental Health Emergencies Summary: Assoc. Prof. Chris Hogan

LITFL Behavioural Emergency Management

Business Security Information Kit – Victoria Police

RACGP: Ensuring your Practice is Safe and Secure: Security

Filling out certificates seems to constitute an increasing part of a GP's job. The variety and sheer number of different forms to be familiar with can be difficult for GP registrars starting out in General Practice in Australia. Certificate completion requiring a degree of urgency, can occur unexpectedly in the middle of an already busy day. Certificates can be time-consuming and challenging, especially if you are not exactly sure what your obligations are, and what you can and cannot write!!

In this episode, in response to questions from our GP registrars, we explore the issue of writing "Life Extinct" and "Cause of Death" certificates. We dived into the webinar archive and have combined edited excerpts from two different webinars.

The first half of this episode is taken from a webinar from 2019, presented by one of our very own medical educators, Dr Mike Eaton. This part covers "Life extinct" and "Death certificates" and what you can get paid for! The second half, ( from 11:41 ) contains edited excerpts from a recent 2023 webinar given by two Medico-legal Advisers with MDA National, Dr Libby Harris and Dr Julian Walter. They presented a webinar for our first-year registrars looking at many common medicolegal problems that GP's face, and this excerpt about Death Certificates has been extracted from that presentation.

To maintain privacy and full participation by registrars in our webinars, all comments made and questions raised by registrars during these webinars, have been fully edited out.

Please like and subscribe to our podcast, on the podcast app of your choice, to ensure you don't miss out on further published educational content.

Have a great day!

Dr Meryl Nicol

In this fourth and final episode from our 2023 Grand Round series, we hear a short excerpt from the Grand Round highlighting the views of an RVTS Board member and experienced rural GP and Public Health practitioner, Dr Jacki Mein. Dr Jacki discusses teamwork, workforce shortages and rural generalism.

RVTS 2023 Grand Round Series: Ever wondered why doctors choose to work in rural settings and what would encourage them to stay? In our 2023 RVTS Grand Round, we explored this very topic with the National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Dr. Ruth Stewart. Alongside her, four RVTS registrars and supervisors shared their personal experiences and challenges in Rural Health, shedding light on specific barriers they faced to working in rural health, along with the positives of working in a rural community that have encouraged them to stay.

This ends our series of four short excerpts from the RVTS Grand Round 2023.

Please like and subscribe so you don't miss out on further educational content.

In this third episode of our 2023 Grand Round series, we hear a short excerpt from the Grand Round highlighting the experiences of one of our dedicated RVTS supervisors, Dr Akil Islam. His journey into rural health was via a rurally bonded medical student scheme for Australian medical graduates. His experiences highlight the joys and challenges of living and working rurally in General Practice in Far North Queensland and discusses motivation, fatigue, health advocacy and ethics.

RVTS 2023 Grand Round Series: Ever wondered why doctors choose to work in rural settings and what would encourage them to stay? In our 2023 RVTS Grand Round, we explored this very topic with the National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Dr. Ruth Stewart. Alongside her, four RVTS registrars and supervisors shared their personal experiences and challenges in Rural Health, shedding light on specific barriers they faced to working in rural health, along with the positives of working in a rural community that have encouraged them to stay.

This is the third of four episodes.

Please like and subscribe so you don't miss out on the final episode in this series and for further educational content.

In this second episode of our 2023 Grand Round series, we hear a short excerpt highlighting the experiences of Dr Thilan Walgamuge , a previous RVTS registrar, now a fellow of the RACGP, General Practice owner and regional business award winner. Dr Thilan highlights some very practical aspects of what could make it easier for people to settle and work as a GP in rural areas and some of the many challenges of running a practice in an environment of continual work-force shortage. Dr Thilan also shares his journey transitioning from being a hospital specialist overseas to working in Australia in General Practice as an International Medical Graduate ( IMG ), also known as an Overseas-trained Doctor in Australia. This is the second of four episodes in this 2023 Grand Round Series. RVTS 2023 Grand Round Series: Ever wondered why doctors choose to work in rural settings and what would encourage them to stay? In our 2023 RVTS Grand Round, we explored this very topic with the National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Dr. Ruth Stewart. Alongside her, four RVTS registrars and supervisors shared their personal experiences and challenges in Rural Health, shedding light on specific barriers they faced to working in rural health, along with the positives of working in a rural community that have encouraged them to stay.

Please like and subscribe so you don't miss out on the other episodes in this series and other educational content.

Ever wondered why doctors choose to work in rural settings and what would encourage them to stay? In our 2023 RVTS Grand Round, we explored this very topic with the National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Dr. Ruth Stewart. Alongside her, four RVTS registrars and supervisors shared their personal experiences and challenges in Rural Health, shedding light on specific barriers they faced to working in rural health, along with the positives of working in a rural community that have encouraged them to stay.

The dialogue delved into the obstacles of rural workforce and potential strategies to address them. Given the RVTS team's extensive expertise in retaining rural workforce, the 2023 Grand Round provided a treasure trove of practical insights and real-world concerns.

In this episode we hear a short excerpt from the Grand Round highlighting the experiences of Dr Emmon Raza Mubbashir, a recent RVTS registrar, now a fellow of the RACGP. We hear about her journey into rural health as an International Medical Graduate ( IMG ) also known as an Overseas-trained Doctor in Australia.

This is the first of four episodes in this 2023 Grand Round Series.

Please like and subscribe so you don't miss out on further episodes and other educational content.

Hypotheticals: The Near Misses that haunt us all - Part 1

"To err is human" and as GP's, we all make mistakes. In this excerpt taken from our recent Grand Round 2022, we look at the mistakes that we make and look at some key strategies for managing those difficult situations and tips for how to prevent them. It is run in a "hypothetical " manner where we look at a case and hear from a panel of experts as to what they would do and how they would respond.

On the panel are Dr George Cerchez, a GP experienced in the fields of quality, safety and accreditation, Ruanne Brell, a senior lawyer with Avant, and Dr Ameeta Patel, a Medical Educator with RVTS with an interest in doctors health and wellbeing.

In Part one, we hear about a case of a missed investigation result and what could or should have happened, as well as discussing the issue of open disclosure.

( Apology: As this episode was originally presented online with powerpoint, there is a small section ( 3-4 mins ) of this podcast that isn't ideal as you are missing some information about the fictional medical record. The link to the video version is here )

Resources that may be of interest to you:

1. Human Factors in Accidents : M F Allnutt
2. Adverse Event Reporting (Avant)
3. Blaming individual doctors for medical errors, doesn't help anyone - University of Sydney
4. How to say sorry: (Avant )

5: General Practice Ethics: Disclosing Errors: RACGP