Dr Erin Wright, a Rural Generalist registrar with a background in paediatrics, has been named the 2025 Victorian Registrar of the Year by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).
Born and raised in a multigenerational farming family, and currently working in the Albury Wodonga area, Dr Wright says her rural upbringing instilled a deep understanding of the connection between climate, the land, and health.
Her decision to pursue medicine was shaped by a close friend’s long treatment journey in Sydney, which highlighted for her the inequities rural Australians face in accessing timely, high-quality healthcare.
Throughout her career to date, Dr Wright has worked across the full spectrum of life — from pregnancy to palliative care— spanning both inpatient and community healthcare settings. In her current role as an ACRRM Paediatric Advanced Skills Training (AST) registrar, she is building expertise in the identification and management of acutely unwell and vulnerable children.
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says Dr Wright is a powerful advocate for improving access to care for rural communities.
“Erin has shown outstanding commitment to developing the breadth of skills needed to deliver comprehensive rural and remote healthcare,” Dr Martin says.
“Her dedication to children’s health, and her vision for holistic care that addresses physical, emotional, and community wellbeing, reflects the very best of Rural Generalist medicine.”
Looking to the future, Dr Wright says her goal is to combine advanced paediatric expertise with her broader Rural Generalist skills to serve rural and remote communities.
“I want to deliver care that not only meets patients’ physical health needs, but also nurtures their emotional wellbeing and strengthens their connection to community,” Dr Wright says.