National Working Group

Want to make a difference to the future of general practice in Australia?

The GPSN National Working Group exists to give medical students experience in areas such as research, leadership, and policymaking, as well as the chance to make a difference, involve themselves in their local community and discover their passions.

Any medical student in Australia can join the National Working Group.

The group is led by the National Working Group Officers, the local GPSN Working Group Representatives, and the wider medical student community. The group is self-directed, selecting their own projects to work on, with the support of the GPSN National Council and GPRA.

If you would like to get involved or would like more information on any of the projects, please contact the National Working Group to let us know what you are interested in—whether you have lots of experience or none!

Past projects have included national events, research papers, local and national initiatives, pilot programs and more.

If you are interested in joining the GPSN national working group or would like more information on upcoming projects, send us an email!

Email the National Working Group

Research domain

The research domain aims to provide medical students with the opportunity to experience research during medical school.

Recent past and current projects include:

Research on the impact of clinical placement sites on general practice as a career preference for Australian medical students, which has been successfully published in the Australian Journal of Rural Health. Find their paper here – View the Abstract – View RACGP presentation summary.
A retrospective study on the impact of COVID-19 on medical students, specifically the mental health, physical wellbeing, financial situation and academic outcomes of medical students
A study investigating the interventions that medical students relied on to support their mental wellbeing during COVID-19 and their efficacy.

Contact the Working Group

Indigenous health domain

The Indigenous health domain aims to increase awareness and encourage all medical students to make a difference toward the health of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

We are currently working on strengthening our Indigenous and First Nations Peoples Networks and are looking to launch some fresh and exciting initiatives in 2024, including a potential Cultural Immersion Camp this year. Stay tuned!

Rural health domain

The Rural Health Domain promotes getting out of your comfort zone of city practice to the diverse and exhilarating world of rural general practice.

Recent past and current projects include:

The Farm Stay program. This weekend trip helps you to see life outside the city and learn more about practising rural generalists – no two days are ever the same in rural health.
AMSA Rural x GPSN Working Group Mentor Program. This program encourages medical students to engage with other students who have either completed or are in the process of completing a rural clinical placement, to 1) understand and gain an appreciation for rural health, 2) foster a strong relationship with the senior years, 3) bring clarity to avoid preconceived notions regarding the field. In 2021, we paired up 50 mentees with mentors all around Australia and organized key webinars on Indigenous health and the consumers’ health perspective – a huge success that we hope to continue far into the future.
(Un)Anonymous Acronyms. Acronyms, such as FAST, DRSABCD, SOCRATES, are commonplace to any medical student or professional. However, many in the wider community remain unaware of the meaning and usefulness of such acronyms. The Rural Working Group aims to create infographics, with clear yet simple illustrations and designs, on the most important acronyms in medicine (in particular, FAST and DRSABCD) so that any individual will be able to understand, apply the acronyms and potentially save the life of another. View the 2021 poster set.

Follow ‘Humans of Rural Med’ on Instagram Read more at the ‘Humans of Rural Med’ blog

Community health domain

The community health domain extends the gates of medical school into the surrounding communities to come up with initiatives and events that support our local areas. These projects focus on providing opportunities for students to actively give back to the broader community.

Join the Community Health Working Group on Facebook