Mary White College

On this International Women’s Day we would like to celebrate our 2026 Senior Resident Leader, Jessica Allen. Thank you for all you’ve accomplished already Jess!

You have shown your strong leadership through some challenging weeks when we busily prepared for welcoming our new residents to the College community. In the spirit of Miss Mary White, who was also a strong leader in the Armidale community, Jess exemplifies the values of kindness and accountability. All the best for 2026!

UNE Armidale Campus University of New England, AU

If you’re looking to visit the beautiful New England soon, check out the Autumn Festival 🍁

The Autumn Festival is a special time in Armidale 😍

The official Autumn Festival program is out now! 🍂📙

You can pick yours up from our drop boxes located at Woolworths, Coles, and Fresh & Save. Hurry though, they won't last long! ⏳

🍂 Autumn Festival: https://www.armidale.nsw.gov.au/Our-region/Events/Autumn-Festival-2026
🗓 Saturday 21 March
📍 Civic Park | Armidale CBD

Well done to MWC swimmers 🏊 406 points 🙌🏼🙌🏼

Congratulations to Dr Jacqui Epps! 🙌🏼🎉

UNE researcher and GP Dr Jacqueline Epps has been named a Chief Investigator on a $3 million national research project to transform Long COVID care in primary care settings across Australia, including rural and remote communities.

The new project – SAGE (Scalable Allied Health and General Practitioner Responses to Long-COVID in primary care) – will:

▪️Compare multidisciplinary, symptom-focused rehabilitation (physical therapy + psychological support) with self-directed management
▪️Help upskill GPs, practice nurses and allied health professionals in diagnosing and managing Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)
▪️Test whether this model can work equitably for priority populations, including those in rural and remote communities

“General Practitioners face real challenges with Long COVID – studies show only a small minority feel very confident in diagnosing it, yet the vast majority want to learn more,” Dr Epps said.

“The outcomes from SAGE will provide comprehensive support, education and training to upskill GPs, practice nurses and allied health professionals, as well as patients themselves, in the diagnosis and multidisciplinary care of PASC.”

Based in the New England region, Dr Epps will lead recruitment and training of local rural clinicians in partnership with the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network, while UNE medical students gain the chance to learn within real-world research tackling a major rural health challenge.

If proven cost-effective, this scalable model could be embedded into primary care funding nationally, improving Long COVID care for all Australians – not just those in cities.

🔗 Go to comments for full story.

Congratulations to UNE Medicine and Health on the Rural Pathways program. 🙌🏼

How do you train more rural doctors without asking people to leave their jobs, communities, mortgages and young families for five years of full time study?

UNE, as a partner in the Joint Medical Program (JMP), has launched the Regional Health Professional Pathway (RHPP) so experienced rural health workers can study medicine while continuing to work in their communities.

Eight allied health professionals have joined the inaugural 2026 intake, including nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and pharmacists from across the Hunter New England region.

“These students are people who are already embedded in their community, so they are less likely to move to cities like Sydney or Newcastle when they graduate,” said Professor Michelle Guppy, Head of School of Rural Medicine. “We have designed the RHPP so that students can continue to work while they study. It lowers the life factor barrier of entry to a career in medicine.”
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Through a flexible learning in place model, RHPP students complete the same five year medical degree as traditional students, study mostly online, attend five intensive weeks on campus each year and are not required to sit the UCAT.

🔗 Go to link in comments for full story and to meet the first RHPP students.

Move in Day for our 90 new residents was a great success. Thanks to the Resident Leaders who provided a warm welcome to all. We hope you all love living at MWC 💚