Dr Marian Dover has always spoken up for those without a voice. Now based in Kununurra, she’s putting that drive to work as a Rural Generalist, passionate about improving care for rural, remote, and First Nations communities.
This October, Marian is among 23 doctors from across Australia selected from a highly competitive field to attend the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine’s (ACRRM) inaugural Emerging Leaders Conference on Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), WA.
The three-day program brings together early-career Rural Generalists with a shared commitment to health equity, social accountability, and stronger outcomes for communities outside the big cities.
Marian’s drive is shaped by her own story — arriving in Australia with her family in housing insecurity, seeing loved ones face serious health challenges, and realising that where you live can drastically impact how long and how well you live.
Over the past decade, she has immersed herself in Rural Generalist Medicine: training exclusively in rural and remote areas, serving on the Board of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, mentoring medical students and registrars, and creating online communities to connect and educate Rural Generalists and obstetricians.
Her contributions have been recognised with the Bowman Cutter Award from the NSW Rural Doctors Association and ACRRM Registrar of the Year in 2024, but Marian says her motivation is simple: “I want to bring people together, to listen to diverse voices, and to keep fighting for better healthcare for rural, remote and First Peoples communities.”
The Emerging Leaders Conference runs from 19–21 October and is immediately followed by Australia’s largest Rural Generalist gathering — the Rural Medicine Australia (RMA25) conference hosted by ACRRM and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia in Boorloo (Perth).
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says this back-to-back format allows participants to apply their new skills straight away.
“Marian is already a strong voice for rural, remote, and First Nations healthcare,” he says. “This program will give her even more tools to influence positive change.”
This October, Marian is among 23 doctors from across Australia selected from a highly competitive field to attend the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine’s (ACRRM) inaugural Emerging Leaders Conference on Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), WA.
The three-day program brings together early-career Rural Generalists with a shared commitment to health equity, social accountability, and stronger outcomes for communities outside the big cities.
Marian’s drive is shaped by her own story — arriving in Australia with her family in housing insecurity, seeing loved ones face serious health challenges, and realising that where you live can drastically impact how long and how well you live.
Over the past decade, she has immersed herself in Rural Generalist Medicine: training exclusively in rural and remote areas, serving on the Board of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, mentoring medical students and registrars, and creating online communities to connect and educate Rural Generalists and obstetricians.
Her contributions have been recognised with the Bowman Cutter Award from the NSW Rural Doctors Association and ACRRM Registrar of the Year in 2024, but Marian says her motivation is simple: “I want to bring people together, to listen to diverse voices, and to keep fighting for better healthcare for rural, remote and First Peoples communities.”
The Emerging Leaders Conference runs from 19–21 October and is immediately followed by Australia’s largest Rural Generalist gathering — the Rural Medicine Australia (RMA25) conference hosted by ACRRM and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia in Boorloo (Perth).
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says this back-to-back format allows participants to apply their new skills straight away.
“Marian is already a strong voice for rural, remote, and First Nations healthcare,” he says. “This program will give her even more tools to influence positive change.”