Research

Progressing an evidence-based rural health research agenda.

We undertake place-based research with rural communities across our footprint. We focus on the three priority areas that underpin the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) program:

  • Rural health education
  • Rural health workforce
  • Rural health outcomes.

We are committed to fostering authentic research collaborations with a wide range of stakeholders, including healthcare providers, communities and local organisations, to co-create solutions that are responsive to the unique needs of rural communities.

  • Strategic research areas

    Our research activity is guided by the RHMT program’s five strategic research areas:

    1. Rural health workforce development (including increasing rural-origin and Indigenous students studying health professions courses and workforce recruitment and retention strategies).
    2. Rural training strategies.
    3. Innovative rural service delivery models to enable the provision of health services to meet community needs.
    4. Health issues directly impacting on rural people, with a focus on benefiting communities within the university’s catchment area through the delivery of better health services.
    5. Improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Publications and reports

Publications and reports

Our researchers publish in national and international journals and regularly present at conferences and seminars.

Created outputs

Created outputs

We have developed resources to support communities, health professionals, educators and students.

HDR students

HDR students

We help future research leaders by creating and supporting opportunities for higher degrees by research.

At Three Rivers, research is a cross-cutting activity that informs our work streams. We value a collaborative approach and our research seeks to engage a wide range of stakeholders.

Our research activity is guided by the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training program's five strategic research areas:

  1. Rural health workforce development (including increasing rural-origin and Indigenous students studying health professions courses, and workforce recruitment and retention strategies)
  2. Rural training strategies
  3. Innovative rural service delivery models to enable the provision of health services to meet community needs
  4. Health issues directly impacting on rural people, with a focus on benefiting communities within the University’s catchment area through the delivery of better health services
  5. Improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our objectives

  • Understand the unique characteristics of communities across the Three Rivers footprint to critically reflect on key assumptions and concepts informing strategies and policies to improve rural health.
  • Facilitate processes of research co-design involving our diverse stakeholders in conducting research that addresses complex real-world rural health issues.
  • Generate high-quality scholarship that has a regional focus and national and international significance.

Research plan

Research has been identified as being core to the activity of Three Rivers to evaluate the outcomes of Three Rivers and to pursue activities that can impact positively on the rural health outcomes of rural communities in the Three Rivers footprint.

The Three Rivers is in a position to become a lead driver of rural health research through our location, funding and networks.

Three Rivers DRH Research Plan 2022-2024

Professor Deb Warr

We undertake research to make a difference in the world. Our approach to research is inquiring, collaborative and inventive. We want to be known for research that is rigorous, future-orientated and esteemed.

We use research to explore patterns of association and causation and draw on theoretical insights grounded in careful empirical investigation.

Professor Deb Warr Three Rivers , Senior Principal Research Fellow

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