The 6th Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium: Outback Infront is taking place in Canberra from 11-12 April 2018.

With more than 200 of Australia’s leading rural and remote health researchers registered to attend, the Symposium is gearing up to be one of the largest and most significant in the National Rural Health Alliance’s long history of hosting the event.

A highlight of the program will be a plenary session, led by Emeritus Professor Lesley Barclay, entitled ‘Twenty years of rural and remote health research: the story and the legacy.’

During the session, panellists Professor Lucie Walters (Flinders Rural Health), Professor David Lyle (Department of Rural Health, University of Sydney), Professor Ross Bailie (University Centre for Rural Health, Sydney University) and Professor Dennis McDermott (Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Wellbeing) will discuss key research that has shaped direction and growth in the rural and remote health sector.

Alliance CEO Mark Diamond explains that the session has been designed to have both reflective and prospective outcomes:

“This plenary session will look back at the legacy of rural and remote health research and the key issues, people, policies and programs have defined it. Importantly it will also look forward at the next key challenges that need to be addressed, such as creating and valuing opportunities to address diversity, Aboriginality and research led by women.”

The Symposium is convened by the National Rural Health Alliance in partnership with the Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN), the Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators (FRAME), and the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHCRIS).

A full program, along with speaker biographies and summaries, are available at www.ruralhealth.org.au/6rrhss