
Episode #53
53. Dr Damien Brown on the Rewards and Realities of Remote Medicine
For Dr Damien Brown, becoming a rural doctor meant confronting a side of Australian healthcare few people ever see up close. From remote clinics and aeromedical retrievals to communities where distance, poverty and chronic disease shape everyday care, his career has revealed both the rewards of remote healthcare and the healthcare inequity that still exists across Australia. Damien joins It Takes Heart to share the journey from inner-city emergency departments to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) projects in Angola and South Sudan, before moving into rural and remote medicine across Australia. He speaks candidly about arriving at his first remote placement underprepared and why clinicians considering this path need the right support and environment, not simply more qualifications. The conversation also explores the realities shaping remote healthcare, from housing and food access to workforce shortages and chronic disease. Damien also shares what inspired his book Bush Doctor , his frustration with conversations about healthcare inequity that lack urgency, and the quieter moments that make the work meaningful - building trust, simplifying complex medical choices and helping families support loved ones to spend their final days on Country. This episode is for anyone interested in remote healthcare, rural medicine, Aboriginal health, healthcare inequity or the reality of life as a bush doctor. More about Damien's Organisation of Choice, The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. RFDS is a national charitable healthcare organisation providing primary healthcare and 24/7 emergency services to those in rural and remote Australia. RFDS uses advanced aviation and medical technology to deliver vital care where traditional services are unavailable. It Takes Heart is hosted by cmr’s Samantha Miklos and Kate Coomber and recorded at cmr’s head office in Brisbane. We Care; Music by Waveney Yasso Get to know It Takes Heart & cmr better! Instagram: @ittakesheartpodcast and @cornerstonemedicalrecruitment YouTube: @ItTakesHeartPodcast and @cornerstonemedicalrecruitment TikTok: @cornerstonemedicalrec LinkedIn: @cmr | Cornerstone Medical Recruitment Facebook: @CornerstoneMedicalRecruitment






