Rural Doctors Network (RDN) cadet, Chloe Campbell of Bombala, has been awarded NSW/ACT Medical Student of the Year as part of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine’s excellence awards.

The ACRRM excellence awards recognise exceptional medical students showing a clear pathway towards a career as a rural generalist and celebrate their commitment to training in rural and remote locations, strong leadership in their communities, and dedication to building their future as rural generalists.

As a state award winner, Chloe travelled to Perth last month and joined other state winners who were in line for the National Rural Generalist Medical Student of the Year Award which was announced as part of the Rural Medicine Australia 2025 (RMA25) Conference.

Chloe grew up on a remote sheep and cattle farm at Mila. She is a fifth-year medical student at Charles Sturt University, former nurse and founder of the not-for-profit Boots to Scrubs program.

Chloe is about to finish her medical degree; her graduation is in two weeks and proud parents Sophie and Keith Campbell will be making the trip to Orange to attend the special occasion. In the new year, Chloe will move to Broken Hill to undertake a two-year contract as a junior doctor.

“I am really looking forward to being in Broken Hill,” Chloe said.

“I did a one-week placement there and it is the epitome of rural and remote health. I can’t wait to gain more experience there.”

As part of the Boots to Scrubs program, more than $60,000 in scholarships and mentoring for rural women in medicine has been provided among a whole host of accomplishments and achievements.

The Boots to Scrub scholarship program is aimed at inspiring, empowering and supporting rural women to pursue careers as rural doctors.

By actively supporting and inspiring more individuals from rural backgrounds to pursue medical careers, Boots to Scrubs can address the pressing need for rural doctors communities urgently require.

Boots to Scrubs encourages belief that rural women have the potential to transform healthcare in their communities. By connecting them with the right support, the program is building a future where they can thrive in the medical field and make a lasting impact on rural healthcare systems.

After receiving the state award Chloe told the RDN she’s proud to not only have won the award for herself, but for the generations of rural women who may one day also want to become a doctor.

“It feels very surreal to win the award for a girl that didn’t even know if she was going to pass her HSC, to then being a medical student of the year for NSW and ACT,” Chloe said.

“I initially thought, gosh, this might even be a spam email or they’ve gotten the wrong person. But I’m very, very proud to have won it and so incredibly grateful,” she said.

“The award is testament to the work that the Boots to Scrubs team has done and the plight of rural women in the bush; wanting to make it better for all our community and then also the next generation of women doctors.”

RDN, on behalf of the NSW Ministry of Health, offers cadetships to medical students with a strong intent to undertake a medical career in rural NSW.