February 2026

Welcome to February, people. By now you’ve hopefully found your placements, located your lecture rooms, and realised the year is very much underway. How’s that energy, freedom, and forward momentum going that Google AI promised us last month?

Be honest.

The topic of wellbeing…
Wellbeing is taken seriously at the School of Rural Medicine, and yes, our Wellbeing and Attendance Policy genuinely rivals the best in the country.

Which is your reminder to actually use it! If you need a day off for your own wellbeing, be sure to follow the policy guidelines accessible through Brightspace.

Medicine is a demanding, sometimes brutal degree, so checking in with yourself (and each other) early matters. Rest is not a reward, it’s a requirement.

On that note, if you are based in Orange, we have a recommendation for you!

Yoga sessions at Studio 2 Movement Evolution Studio on Lords Place with Madison (Maddy). Highly recommend if slowing your nervous system is your vibe.

CSU also offers free, confidential wellbeing and counselling services for students. Whether you’re overwhelmed by uni, navigating social stuff, or just need a yarn, it’s there for you, and it’s worth using.

Take care of yourselves. Future you will thank you.

A message from NSWMSC (aka Jacques) on wellbeing: You can also access free and confidential, anonymous, independent mental health support from Doctors Health NSW that is free from regulatory bodies. Call: 02 9437 6552

If you have a story for us and would like to contribute to the next newsletter, please reach out to either of us (Grace Ross) or (Jacques Fletcher-Cauchi) via messenger, or send an email:

[email protected] 

[email protected]

NOTE: FIRST YEARS!!!!… sign up to receive FLUORO in your email! Also please send us stories of how Year 1 is going, we love to see and hear it all.

CHARMS President Address - Harvey Lew

G’day beautiful people,

Firstly, a warm welcome to our first-year students. I hope Orientation Week was enjoyable and that you are beginning to find your feet in medicine. Please remember that support is always available by contacting any of the CHARMS team directly.

February is an important month for student voice, with preparation underway for the Australian Medical Council (AMC) Monitoring Submission. You will receive a student survey, likely in March, and your participation is crucial. The feedback collected plays a meaningful role in the AMC’s review of our program and helps ensure the quality of our course. I strongly encourage everyone to take the time to contribute (pretty please).

I would also like to congratulate the newly elected SODA representatives across both clinical and pre-clinical years. SODA, standing for Student Officer, Dean, and Associate Dean representatives, plays an important role in ensuring student perspectives are formally represented within the School. Thank you to those who have stepped forward to serve in these roles.

Looking ahead, preparations are well underway for the Medicine Ball, which will be held on 1 August at the Orange Ex-Services Club. This year’s theme, A Night of Fantasea, promises a memorable evening to come together as a cohort, celebrate the year so far, and step briefly outside the intensity of study and placement. Further details regarding tickets, pricing, and formalities will be released soon, so please keep an eye out and mark the date in your calendars.

Finally, I would like to provide an update on a CHARMS position statement recently submitted to the Executive Director of Student Experience regarding the Student Services and Amenities Fund (SSAF). The statement outlines the intended purpose of the SSAF compared with the lived reality of clinical students on placement, including analysis of the 2024 SSAF expenditure report and who the fee practically serves.

A response has been received from the CSU Student Experience team declining the position put forward by CHARMS. We are currently continuing discussions in the background to work toward a more equitable approach to both the charging of the fee and the allocation of SSAF resources. Copies of the full position statement are available by request.

That’s all my loves. Take care of yourselves, and take care of each other. Chat soon,


H <3

🤩 O Week Review 🤩 

O-Week 2026: Kicking Off First Year in Style

O-Week 2026 was nothing short of electric, with the Year 2 CHARMS Events Team, Kaitlyn Haran and Rand Adrees putting together a jam-packed week to welcome our newest cohort to med school.

We kicked things off with a Welcome BBQ, giving first years the chance to meet their peers, staff, and future study buddies in a relaxed setting. The energy only ramped up at Trivia & Pizza Night, generously sponsored by Amboss, where teams battled it out for glory (and an exclusive discount code for the winners). To top it off, we gave away a coffee machine because let’s be honest, caffeine is about to become a core learning resource.

To help new students find their feet, we ran an Amazing Race style Scavenger Hunt across campus. From hidden landmarks to team challenges, it was the perfect way to explore Orange while forming early friendships.

Mid-week featured our much-loved Round Robin, with stations including mini soccer, creative challenges, and medical-themed games, followed by a competitive Touch Footy match proudly taken out by the First Years (a statement performance this early in their degree).

We also hosted a Grazing Board Lunch, MIPS sponsorship and competition for a free Stethoscope offering a more relaxed opportunity to connect, and ensured everyone was ready for placement life with Scrub Fittings sorted.

To wrap it all up, we headed out for a Bowling Night and Pizza, ending the week on a high note with plenty of laughs, friendly rivalry, and a few surprisingly competitive bowlers.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the week happen and an especially warm welcome to our newest med students. If O-Week is anything to go by, the Class of 2026 is going to be a force.

Update from the Hastings Macleay Region - Jacques

A fun last week in the Hastings Macleay region!

We’ve had some classic med student moments on placement at Port Macquarie Base Hospital… including Andrew “Buzz” (3rd year) living up to his nickname with a Buzz Lightyear figurine in the paediatric ward, whilst Esther (3rd year) learnt how to intubate a patient!

Meanwhile, Lachie Griffith (5th year) was spotted deep in placement survival mode, taking on the sugariest snack + sugary drink combo like a seasoned professional. A risky approach? Maybe. An effective one? Also maybe. Either way, he looked absolutely unbothered and placement-ready at one of our fave cafe’s ;)

Katie Long (4th year) and I also attended the NSWMSC Retreat this weekend, where we spent time with our committee members from across different universities. Alongside some really interesting conversations about the year ahead, we also played Catan, which definitely brought out everyone’s strategic negotiating skills.

Safe to say, we’ve come away with a slayer of a strategic plan for 2026 and are excited for what’s ahead - major chaos vibes ;)

SODA Updates - Watch this space ;)

What is Happening in the Regions?!

There are some pretty cool events on in all areas so check out yours below ;)

ORANGE

• https://www.orange360.com.au/Events

BATHURST

• https://www.bathurstregion.com.au/events/photo/page/5/

PARKES

• https://www.parkes.nsw.gov.au/Community/Events-and-Festivals

COFFS HARBOUR

• https://www.coffscoast.com/events/

PORT MACQUARIE

• https://www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au/whats-on/events

WAGGA WAGGA

• https://visitwagga.com/calendar

GRIFFITH

• https://visitgriffith.com.au/festivals-and-events/whats-on/

ALBURY/WODONGA

• https://www.visitalburywodonga.com/whats-on/

SWAN HILL

• https://www.visitswanhill.com.au/whats-on/

Some events require tickets, so make sure you double-check before accidentally donating your money to something you didn’t plan on attending.

🇿🇦 Trauma Elective in Johannesburg 🇿🇦

I (Grace) was lucky enough to do my four week elective placement at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Johannesburg South Africa. I was placed in the trauma department (I know eeek). They say that in one day you see more in one day than you see in a year in Australia - after 4 very busy weeks I can tell you I agree. I was lucky enough to work alongside some fantastic international doctors from Germany, Finland, Austria, Spain and local South African doctors who taught me many new skills and what it is like working in a very busy critical care department.

I stayed with Dr Alan Peters (A Catholic Priest, Respiratory Physician, Safari Guide… what a resume). Dr Peters welcomed me and Margaret (fellow 5th year) into his lovely home - check out his website. Whilst in South Africa we also explored the beautiful mountains of Capetown and flew up to Zimbabwe for the famous Victoria Falls. We also made it to Botswana to see some of Africas beautiful wildlife.

I am so very grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity.

📣 Advocacy 📣 

This month, Harvey (our CHARMS President) and I were invited by Senator David Pocock to attend Parliament House alongside Seniru, President of Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA), to speak with crossbench parliamentarians about placement poverty.

We had the opportunity to watch Seniru deliver a powerful address outlining the realities faced by medical students across the country.

Recent national data collected by AMSA paints a confronting picture:

• Over 80% of surveyed medical students reported experiencing placement poverty at some stage

• Many reported missing meals, sleeping in cars or tents, or struggling to pay rent and essential expenses during placements

• A significant proportion said this financial strain negatively impacted their wellbeing and mental health

• 1 in 5 students reported experiencing suicidal ideation

Clinical placements are mandatory. They are unpaid. And for many students, they are financially destabilising.

This is why advocacy matters.

If you have a spare couple of minutes, please consider signing the petition calling for medical and allied health students to be included in the Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme. Structural change only happens when voices are heard, and every signature strengthens that call.

Advocacy starts with awareness. It grows through action.

Rural Doctors Network Conferences and Events for 2026!

Here is the link for RDNs website! Highly recommend signing up to their newsletter: https://www.ruraldoctors.org/site/index.cfm?module=news&pagemode=indiv&page_id=4432295

Events for 2026

1. New GP Orientation Workshop - 26-27 March, Port Macquarie

2. Advanced Life Support 1 (ALS 1) - 27 March, Port Macquarie

3. Advanced Life Support 2 (ALS 2) - 26-27 March, Port Macquarie

4. Rural GPs Refresher Conference - 27-29 March, Rydges Port Macquarie

5. GP VMO Conference - 2-3 May, Canowindra

6. Breakfast with Gary Webinar - 14 May, online

7. PESCI Preparation Workshop - 14 May*, Sydney

8. ADHD Masterclass - 28 May, Sydney

9. Obstetrics Procedural Conference - 29-30 May, RDN Office & Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards

10. ALS 1 - 17 June*, Batemans Bay

11. New GP Orientation Workshop - 18-19 June*, Batemans Bay

12. Rural Allied Health Conference - 27 November*, Sydney and online

13. ALS 2 - 25-26 November, Sydney

14. Rural GPs Conference - 26-28 November, Sydney

15. Medical Student Rural Inspiration Conference - 28 November, Sydney

*Date subject to confirmation

Opportunities

• Tertiary Health Study Subsidies

  • 2026 applications open in late Jan for up to $12k if you’re considering clinical marshmallow roles with NSW Health once you’re finished studying (I didn’t read the eligibility closely don’t @me)

  • You can register to be notified when applications open here

• MedWorld Scholarship

  • This one isn’t open yet but again you can sign up to be notified when apps open here

  • Looks to me to be $10k, with open voting for recipient

• RWAV Conference

  • March 4th-6th in Geelong

  • Tickets for students: $180

  • Details here

• CSU Scholarships

  • Gita Belin Fortitude Foundation Rural Doctors Scholarship $10k due 4th Feb

  • Westfund Healthy Futures Scholarship 10k due 4th Feb

  • And many more specific to you check out the link below

  • Details here

Click the link above to be taken to Orange360, for all things happening in Orange! There are some cool events brewing about 😉 

Until next time beautiful people!

Grace and Jacques x