Last week saw the new team of SARM academic, professional and support staff come together in our Renmark campus for orientation and team building. The team were joined online by Dr Michal Wozniak (MD Director) along with other staff from the Mt Gambier campus, and incoming academics who couldn’t be there in person.

This was the first occasion where all members of the SARM team could be together (face to face and virtually). It was a chance to share hopes and visions for the future of SARM, and reflect on reasons for joining this ground-breaking rural educational initiative. The day began with an Acknowledgement of Country and team icebreakers led by Dr Sophie Hamilton (SARM Clinical Skills Lead), which included sharing photos of significance as well as favourite songs, before the team was oriented to the mission and values of SARM and provided with a overview of the educational program led by A/Prof James Padley (SARM Program Lead). The event was attended and supported by our rural and remote leadership team including Profs Robyn Aitken and Claire Drummond, key IT support team, and professional staff team members.

Highlights including successful testing of Teams-Room links between rural, NT and Bedford Park sites, which will enable seamless communication between students and teachers in different locations. On a lighter note, other highlights included sharing of each other’s spirit animals, which included meerkats, puppies, and even a bull.

The team came away with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and commitment as we prepare to welcome 60 students commencing in the new SARM program in February.
At the heart of the SARM Program is a commitment to our new and continuing staff, students, and especially the rural communities in which they will live and learn.