The NQRTH Research Team conducts research across a wide range of areas, including medical training and education for medical students and junior doctors, research capacity building, and regional, rural, and remote community health. Below is a list of our current and completed studies:

Current projects

Evaluation of research opportunities and research engagement among pre-vocational doctors

This project, conducted in collaboration with Townsville Hospital and Health Service and Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, evaluates the availability and uptake of research opportunities, as well as the level of research engagement among junior doctors in two regional hospitals in Northern Queensland. Data is currently being collected through a mixed methods approach, including an online survey and focus group discussions and interviews with interns, pre-vocational doctors and hospitals’ research staff.

Community connectedness and rural health service delivery: Insights from health professionals and local communities

This project is a comparative case study of two rural sites in North Queensland, exploring how community integration can impact the health outcomes and care coordination that is provided by health professionals, primarily medical doctors, allied health professionals, and nurses. The study incorporates insights from rural communities to explore what service delivery strategies are used and how this may impact both health professional and community sense of connectedness.

Review of the Medical Students’ Selection Process; incorporating insights from stakeholders

This project is a mixed methods study to explore the perspectives of the medicine applicants’ and interview panellists’ perspectives on the selection process. Data are being collected through online surveys, interviews and focus group discissions with selection panelists, medicine applicants and MBBS Year 1 and 2 students. The study also aims to investigate any association between academic performance and medicine selection criteria.

State of Origin Project

This is an observational and descriptive study of JCU MBBS Domestic Students location at application within Queensland. The study aims to explore the representation of JCU MBBS CSP students from the JCU CMD primary catchment area to identify locations of over and underrepresentation, and factors that may be associated with that.

Completed projects

Travel costs, choice of in-community care and health outcomes of remote patients requiring specialist-led care correlate with the patient-centred care

This mixed methods study was a collaborative project with South West Hospital and Health Service, and  funded by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Education Research Grant to explore patient, doctor and local health system factors which may be impacting patient travel costs and health outcomes associated with specialist-led care in remote southwest Queensland communities.

Queensland junior doctors: recruitment and retention

This project was a qualitative study that explored the decision-making behind the career trajectory of Queensland junior doctors, with a focus on the choice of location. Four North Queensland HHSs (i.e., TSV, CNS, McKay and Mount Isa) were selected as the study sites.

The study findings have been published in BMC Health Services Research and are accessible at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-13465-3.

Queensland Intern Preferences Project

This project explored the preferences and acceptances of final year medical students for intern positions within Queensland, any trends in uptake of the Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway, and short-term mobility. The study was led by JCU Impact and Evaluation Teams in collaboration with three other Queensland medical schools; University of Queensland, Griffith University and Bond University.

The study findings are accessible at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10683-z

Factors associated with James Cook University medical students experiencing 'high quality' clinical learning on final-year rural placement

This project explored key factors contributing to JCU medical students having a 'high quality' rural clinical learning experience during their final-year rural placement. The study was a sequential, explanatory mixed-methods study included focus groups, interviews and survey.

The study findings are accessible at: https://doi.org/10.22605/rrh9395

Regional Training Hubs Evaluation Project

This project evaluated the Northern Queensland Regional Training Hubs activity around specialist training. The study aimed to understand the experiences of doctors in training in northern Queensland, and to determine the key factors in making career pathway decisions in terms of training and location. Data were collected through interview and survey. The study results helped inform future strategic direction, improve training and support for registrars; build a regional specialist workforce that meets the needs of northern Queensland.