MED NORRTH (Northern Outcomes in Regional Research, Translation, and Health) Conference

Location: Townsville

Dates: Saturday 16th August 

This scientific conference will allow the opportunity for medical students, junior doctors and local and national medical and health researchers to showcase their evidence-based research, build connections and learn more about research in Northern Queensland.  

The conference is a collaboration between Northern QLD Regional Training Hubs (NQRTH) and James Cook University, College of Medicine and Dentistry (CMD).  The aim of the conference is to provide an opportunity to build research networks and improve research skills. 

The MED NORRTH conference will provide a platform for:

• Disseminating and discussing research in a friendly and supportive space (at early career doctor/ medical student level)
• Inspiring doctors to further engage in research and to build research confidence
• Exposure to new research ideas, and to hear about research that is being done by researchers who are working and/or studying in regional, rural and remote settings
• Networking, connecting and building research partnerships with peer researchers
• Helping doctors to improve their CVs and research profiles in preparation for entry into their future specialist training pathways.

The conference will be a one-day in-person event and will offer a range of opportunities to present and learn about research. This event includes oral and poster presentations, keynote speakers, lightning talks, a panel discussion, a hands-on workshop and a networking event.

Conference attendance and abstract submission are open to all medical students, medical trainees as well as other healthcare researchers, from Northern QLD and across Australia.

Call for abstracts

The theme for MED NORRTH 2025 is Building Research Skills to Advance Regional Health in Australia. Abstracts that explore this theme are encouraged. However, abstracts on other relevant topics are also welcome. Presentations may include, but are not limited to:

• Regional Healthcare Challenges and Solutions
• Translational Research
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
• Rural and tropical medicine
• Regional and rural medical workforce sustainability
• Medical education and training
• Telehealth and innovative medicine
• Patient-centred care
• Clinical outcomes in regional settings

A wide range of research designs are welcome, including but not limited to primary studies, clinical audits, systematic/ scoping/ narrative literature reviews, case studies and qualitative research.

Studies that are in progress can also be submitted as abstracts, provided the current stage of the study and the projected stage by the conference date are indicated.

Abstract submission is open from 1st April to 15th June 2025. Abstracts can be presented as oral or poster presentations, and will be assessed by academic and medical researchers. Awards will be presented to the best presenters at the conference networking event.

Submit your abstract

Please consider the following rules before submitting your abstract:

• Abstract must be structured and include Background, Aim, Methods, Results and Conclusion.
• Abstract title must not exceed 25 words.
• Structured abstracts must be limited to 250 words.
• Between three to six keywords can be included.
• Full names, affiliations and highest qualifications of all co-authors must be included in the abstract submission form.

If your abstract is a case study, please consider the following format:

Background, Aim, Case description, Patient history/ diagnosis/ management, Lessons learned