The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Rural Psychiatry Training Pathways team (RPTP) is proud to announce the appointment of Rural Champions – a group of passionate psychiatrists who train or practise in a rural location. Rural Champions are dedicated to promoting a positive rural and generalist culture across the College.

Following a highly competitive Expression of Interest process, five outstanding Rural Champions will serve a term from January to June 2026. These appointments reflect the College’s commitment to strengthening the culture of psychiatry in a rural location.

The Rural Champions are:

• Benjamin Vialle (TAS) – Fellow
• Lara North (VIC) – Trainee
• Chris Henry (NSW) – Trainee
• Sasha Jones (NT) – Trainee
• Victoria Wilson (NT) – Fellow

Rural Champions will advocate for training and practising in rural Australia, engage with Fellows and Trainees, and contribute to initiatives that celebrate and strengthen the rural generalist culture within psychiatry.

Rural Champions will undertake a series of deliverables during their tenure, demonstrating the benefits of training and practising in a rural location:

• A member profile on the College website
• Attending one Branch Meeting
• Attending one meeting Section of Rural Psychiatry (SRP) or Regional Rural and Remote Training Steering Group (RRRTSG)
• Involvement in RANZCP social media content
• Delivering one written publication
• Delivering one digital educational session, such as a podcast or webinar
• Attending the RPTP Congress 2026 Social Event and presenting or submitting an abstract at one conference in Australia in 2026 which is related to the rural agenda
• Collaborating with the RPTP team to create learning resources
• Participating in the mid-term review of the Roadmap.
  
  

The Rural Champions initiative is an activity of the RANZCP’s Rural Psychiatry Roadmap 2021–2031 (the Roadmap), which aims to create and promote a positive rural and generalist Fellowship culture across the College membership.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists received Australian Government funding under the Psychiatry Workforce Program to deliver this project.