The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) was incorporated in 1997 by the Rural Doctors Association of Australia as an acknowledgment of: 

• the importance of rural and remote medicine as a broad but discreet form of general practice
• the need for well-designed vocational training and continuing medical education for rural doctors, and 
• the need to address the shortage of rural and remote doctors in Australia, by providing them with a separate and distinctive professional body.

Following a long hiatus in government policy regarding the accreditation of new medical colleges in Australia, in 2006 ACRRM became the first new medical college to undertake assessment by the Australian Medical Council.  In so doing, ACRRM also became the first college in Australia to apply for, and achieve, approval to set standards for a medical specialty in which another college already operated – General Practice.

The successful initial accreditation of the College and its programs in February 2007 paved the way for government to approve ACRRM as a body able to determine and certify vocational recognition as a GP for Medicare purposes.  State medical boards and other key certifying agencies across Australia were subsequently able to properly recognise the College and its fellowship qualification in a range of registration and industrial arrangements. 

The Australian Medical Council will undertake further assessment of ACRRM’s education and training programs between 2009 and 2010.  This will be an ongoing process of regular review and development for the College that will help ACRRM ensure that its programs continue to meet the highest standards possible.