• Professor Jacqueline Epps announced as Charles Sturt’s new Head of School and Dean of the School of Rural Medicine
• Dr Epps is passionate about rural health and medical education, and improving outcomes for rural communities through research
• She commenced her new role, based in Orange, on Wednesday July 1

Charles Sturt University’s new Dean of the School of Rural Medicine wants to continue the focus on producing quality graduates who practice in regional Australia and further strengthen the School’s excellence in rural and generalist medical education.

Professor Jacqueline Epps commenced her new role as Charles Sturt’s Head of School and Dean of the School of Rural Medicine on Wednesday 1 July and she already has big plans for the future of the medicine program.

As part of her five-year plan for the School, Dr Epps wants to secure additional Commonwealth Supported Places, see the the number of First Nations graduates grow, and work with staff and clinical schools to develop innovative strategies harnessing new technologies to create enhanced learning experiences across the large rural footprint.

“Charles Sturt’s School of Rural Medicine is one of Australia’s few standalone medical programs with rural medicine and rural communities at its core,” she said.

“It is designed specifically to immerse students in rural, regional or remote communities for the entirety of the program. The goal is to produce doctors who are confident, capable and well prepared for rural clinical practice.

“I’d love to see Charles Sturt’s School of Rural Medicine become Australia’s leading medical program for graduates electing to practice rurally, for excellence in rural and generalist medical education and as the first choice for applicants who are interested in rural medicine.

“Above all, it is vital to ensure our medical program’s graduates are well equipped to be serving the needs of our communities.”

Dr Epps is joining Charles Sturt from the University of New England, where she was a leader in the Joint Medical Program (JMP) Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine.

She was born and raised in Armidale and completed her medical degree at the University of NSW. She completed training in Orange and continued to work as a general practitioner (GP) and Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) in the Central West.

“The opportunity to be part of this innovative School of Rural Medicine, with such a strong emphasis on building the rural workforce and improving rural health outcomes, aligns closely with my own professional journey and personal values,” she said.

“Having been raised rurally, completed my postgraduate training rurally and practised as a rural primary care GP and small rural hospital GP VMO, I understand firsthand why medical programs like Charles Sturt's are so vital in addressing the chronic healthcare shortages in regional Australia.”

Dr Epps has 20 years’ experience as a rural clinician and GP, with experience in hospital-based medical care, supervision and teaching of medical students and recently graduated doctors, and as a GP academic.

She has demonstrated strong leadership towards rural equity admissions pathways, securing additional CSP’s for rural students. She is passionate about rural health, rural medical education and One Health, which is an integrated approach to recognising that human, animal and environmental health is all connected. Dr Epps is also passionate about research in these fields to improve outcomes for rural communities.

In her new role she looks forward to collaborating with the University’s Rural Health Research Institute to broaden medical research opportunities.

“The staff I have spoken with so far from the Charles Sturt University School of Rural Medicine are very committed, enthusiastic and highly experienced,” she said.

“They have produced and developed a high quality medical program, and are a team that I am very excited to be working with.”

Through her interaction with Charles Sturt’s medical students and graduates, Dr Epps has found that students have developed a strong sense of professional identity and purpose as a rural clinicians, and confidence in their skills. Health professionals have also provided feedback to Dr Epps, saying they speak highly of the abilities of Charles Sturt graduates.

“Together, these reflections reinforce my impression that this is a quality medical program that has been thoughtfully designed and developed,” she saoid.

“I am very excited to be part of its next chapter.”