In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Ebonney van der Meer, Rural Generalist, GP psychotherapist, clinical art therapist, and ACRRM Fellow with Advanced Skills Training (AST) in Mental Health, about what the Mental Health AST really looks like in practice.

Ebonney explains how mental health skills strengthen everyday general practice, from building therapeutic relationships and supporting patients through trauma to managing risk, documentation, and complex presentations where physical and psychological health intersect. She shares practical approaches to helping patients feel safe enough to open up, pace difficult conversations over time, and walk alongside patients towards recovery as they define it.

For registrars considering their AST options, Ebonney offers honest reflections on training, supervision, scope of practice, and the flexibility the Mental Health AST provides. She also speaks candidly about the emotional realities of the work and the importance of boundaries, supervision, and team support in sustaining a long career in rural medicine.

This episode is essential listening for registrars who are curious about the Mental Health AST, want greater confidence managing mental health presentations in general practice, and are looking to build a meaningful, sustainable Rural Generalist career while holding space for patients and themselves.

Wellbeing Support Services

For more information and additional resources, visit ACRRM Wellbeing Support: https://www.acrrm.org.au/support/wellbeing/well-being-support

Veterans and their families often present to general practice carrying the long-term impacts of military service, transition to civilian life, and complex interactions with healthcare systems. In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Dr David Leaf and Dr Andrew Clarke, both veterans and Rural Generalists, about how doctors and registrars can provide culturally safe, practical, and effective care for veteran patients.

David and Andrew draw on their own experiences of military service to explain how veterans approach healthcare, what respectful listening looks like in practice, and why simple, open questions such as “Have you ever served?” and “Tell me about your service” matter. They explore the “sheer cliff” of leaving Defence, the loss of community and psychosocial supports, and how this transition can amplify moral injury, trauma, and distress, sometimes years after discharge.

For registrars, this conversation offers clear, practical guidance on taking an ADF history, avoiding common pitfalls, and recognising the role of partners and families in help-seeking and recovery. The discussion also outlines key referral pathways and supports, including Open Arms, DVA training resources, and navigating DVA cards and access to treatment in rural settings.

This episode is essential listening for registrars who want to better identify veterans in their patient population, build rapport with confidence and cultural sensitivity, and connect veterans and their families to the supports they’re entitled to.

Key resources for supporting veterans:

How can rural doctors build genuinely respectful, effective partnerships with Aboriginal health workers? In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Dr Nicolette (Nicci) Roux, Rural Generalist and Executive Director of Medical Services, and Aboriginal health worker and clinic coordinator Tamara Murray, about what meaningful collaboration looks like at Wuchopperen, a community-controlled Aboriginal health service that has served the Cairns community for 46 years. 

Nicci and Tamara describe a patient-centred, holistic model of care where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers are essential members of a multidisciplinary team, ensuring care is culturally safe, responsive, and grounded in community needs. Tamara explains how she coordinates busy clinic flow, triages patients, translates “doctor talk”, and acts as a cultural broker and advocate so that community members feel seen, heard, and respected. 

For registrars, this conversation offers guidance on listening to understand, yarning, and recognising the expertise Aboriginal health workers bring in cultural knowledge, community relationships, and practical problem-solving. It also highlights everyday opportunities in clinic and team settings to reflect on your own practice, seek feedback, and learn from colleagues. 

This episode is essential listening for doctors working in rural and remote settings who want to strengthen these partnerships, provide culturally safer care, and become the kind of team members that communities trust to walk alongside them.

Sexual misconduct in medicine challenges the safety, trust, and integrity of the profession. In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Professor Louise Stone, a GP and medical educator, about the realities of sexual harassment and abuse within medical workplaces and the cultural and systemic factors that allow them to persist.

Professor Stone draws on her extensive research and international collaborations to explain how power, hierarchy, and silence shape these experiences and what meaningful prevention and healing can look like.

The discussion explores the importance of leadership, upstanding behaviour, and peer support in creating safer professional environments.

This conversation offers an honest and compassionate look at how the medical profession can confront harm within its own ranks and begin to foster genuine cultural change. It also provides valuable perspective for registrars as they navigate complex team dynamics, learn to recognise unsafe behaviours, and develop the confidence to speak up or support colleagues.

Wellbeing Support Services

For more information and additional resources, visit ACRRM Wellbeing Support: https://www.acrrm.org.au/support/wellbeing/well-being-support

Registrars’ own experiences of trauma can shape how they learn, work, and respond to feedback. In this follow-up episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody continues her conversation with Dr Susan Tyler-Freer, exploring how trauma-informed care principles apply to medical education and the registrar training journey.

Dr Tyler-Freer unpacks how developmental trauma and neurodiversity can influence learning style, clinical reasoning, emotional resilience, and communication. She explains how understanding ACEs within the registrar population can improve feedback, reduce harm, and support professional identity development.

The episode also makes a compelling case for clinical supervision as an essential support for registrars and educators to process the emotional toll of rural generalist practice.

This discussion offers powerful insights for registrars and those who teach or supervise them, highlighting how to create safer, more supportive learning environments throughout training.

How can rural doctors provide compassionate, effective care for patients living with trauma? In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Dr Susan Tyler-Freer, Rural Generalist and medical educator, about applying a trauma-informed lens to everyday clinical care. 

Drawing on her experience in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, Dr Tyler-Freer explains how understanding adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can help rural doctors interpret symptoms more accurately, avoid assumptions, and build stronger therapeutic relationships. She highlights how trauma shapes language and patient behaviour, and urges doctors to stay curious and “unpack” what their patients are really saying. 

This episode is essential listening for registrars and Rural Generalists navigating the complexities of care, where trauma is more common than we often realise. It offers practical strategies for safer communication and reminds us that trauma-informed care is not just about what we know, it is about how we listen, interpret and relate. 

How do doctors look after their own health while caring for their patients? In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Dr Roger Sexton, rural GP and Medical Director of Doctors’ Health SA, about the importance of seeking support during personal or professional health crises.

With over 35 years of experience in rural practice and doctors’ health advocacy, Dr Sexton explores the unique barriers doctors face when accessing care, including stigma, confidentiality concerns, and professional expectations. He also reflects on the cultural shifts that are changing how the profession understands and supports doctors’ well-being.

The conversation highlights the critical link between doctors' health and patient safety, the evolving support systems available to rural clinicians, and the importance of showing up to work ‘in good shape’.

A must-listen for registrars and early-career rural generalists navigating life and work in remote settings, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and practical strategies for staying healthy and thriving in practice.

Wellbeing Support Services

For more information and additional resources, visit ACRRM Wellbeing Support: https://www.acrrm.org.au/support/wellbeing/well-being-support

How do case-based discussions (CBD) help registrars develop clinical reasoning and prepare for Fellowship? In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Dr James Fraser, ACRRM’s Director of Assessment, to explore the purpose, process, and preparation behind this essential assessment.

James, an experienced clinician and educator with expertise in rural generalist medicine, provides a deep dive into CBD. He explains how this assessment evaluates registrars' clinical reasoning and decision-making using real patient cases. From selecting cases to managing the de-identification process, James offers practical advice and insights to support registrars' success.

Emily and James also discuss how CBD fits within ACRRM’s programmatic learning approach, its connection with other assessments like STAMPS and mini-CEX, and the role of feedback in shaping better doctors.

Whether you're preparing for CBD or simply curious about its role in training, this episode offers valuable insights for registrars at any stage. Tune in to discover how CBD promotes critical thinking, refines professional skills, and supports lifelong learning.

What does it take to become a leader in rural medicine? In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody sits down with Associate Professor Dan Halliday — the 100th registrar to train for Fellowship with ACRRM and a former College President. Drawing on over 20 years of experience, Dan shares his journey from growing up on a sheep and cattle farm in Tenterfield to becoming a rural generalist obstetrician and a leader in rural healthcare. 

Dan reflects on the pivotal moments and mentors that shaped his career, the importance of saying "yes" to opportunities, and the lessons learned in balancing leadership, advocacy, and clinical practice. He also discusses the challenges of transitioning to college-led training and the recognition of rural generalist medicine as a specialty. 

This episode offers inspiring insights for anyone passionate about rural medicine or considering a leadership or advocacy role in healthcare. Tune in to hear Dan’s advice on stepping up, embracing challenges, and driving meaningful change in rural and remote communities.

In small communities, the line between personal and professional life can get blurry—so how do rural doctors manage professional boundaries? In this episode of RG Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Professor Turun Sen Gupta, Acting Dean and Academic Head of Medicine at JCU, about the challenges of maintaining boundaries in rural and remote practice.

With 30 years of experience in medical education, Professor Sen Gupta explores what boundaries are and the distinction between boundary crossings and violations. They also discuss which boundaries are flexible versus absolute and the challenges of managing dual relationships in rural settings.

This conversation is especially valuable for anyone beginning their career in rural and remote healthcare, offering key insights and practical strategies for managing professional boundaries in these unique contexts.