Emerald’s Dr Nichole Harch has been selected from a strong field of applicants to attend the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Emerging Leaders Conference in Wadjemup (Rottnest Island, WA) this October.
Currently the Director of Medical Services for the Central Highlands, Dr Harch combines her clinical and administrative leadership with a deep commitment to supporting doctors and patients across rural Queensland.
Her leadership journey includes roles with the Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway, the ACRRM Registrar Committee, and as a College examiner, alongside completing a Master of Health Administration and achieving Associate Fellowship with Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators.
“I firmly believe you should be the change you want to see,” Nichole says.
“For me, that means standing up for safe, patient-centred care - even when it’s hard - and building a culture where doctors can focus on medicine rather than battling the system.”
Nichole helps lead innovation locally, including the Single Employer Model pilot in Emerald and works to expand the model to Blackwater in partnership with an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to boost primary care.
About attending the conference, she says she is “keen to connect with peers, learn from their experiences, and keep improving quality and safety for our community”.
The Emerging Leaders Conference runs 19–21 October on Wadjemup (Rottnest Island, WA) and is immediately followed by Rural Medicine Australia 2025, hosted by ACRRM and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia in Boorloo (Perth), 22–25 October.