Growing up in the small rural town of Boorowa in the NSW hilltops region, Dr Juliet Crowe saw firsthand the difference a local doctor can make to a community.
Now working across Ulladulla Medical Clinic and Milton Ulladulla Hospital, the Rural Generalist has been selected to attend the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine's (ACRRM) Emerging Leaders Conference in Adelaide from 18–20 October 2026.
Dr Crowe says her passion for rural medicine was shaped by her childhood experiences and a desire to help ensure regional communities can access quality healthcare close to home.
"Growing up, our town relied on a single GP who provided care across both the general practice and the hospital," Dr Crowe says.
"When my younger sister became unwell and required transfer to Sydney Children's Hospital, our local GP played a critical role in supporting my family through that experience."
When the town's long-serving GP later retired, Dr Crowe saw how difficult it was to replace that continuity of care.
"That experience has stayed with me and continues to shape how I think about rural healthcare," she says.
After completing most of her training on the NSW South Coast, Dr Crowe now works across both general practice and emergency medicine, providing care for patients in hospital and community settings.
She says one of the strengths of Rural Generalist Medicine is the ability to build lasting relationships with patients and communities while working as part of a collaborative healthcare team.
"My experiences working across general practice and emergency medicine have highlighted how important well-supported, collaborative models of care are in maintaining safe and sustainable services in rural communities," Dr Crowe says.
Alongside her clinical work, Dr Crowe is actively involved in supporting medical students and registrars, helping prepare future Rural Generalists for careers where they are most needed.
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says Dr Crowe's commitment to rural healthcare and workforce development reflects the important contribution Rural Generalists make to communities outside the urban fringe.
"Dr Crowe understands the value of strong local healthcare services and the importance of supporting the next generation of Rural Generalist doctors," Dr Martin says.
"The Emerging Leaders Conference will help participants develop the skills, networks and confidence needed to strengthen healthcare in rural communities across Australia."