For many aspiring doctors, a place in James Cook University’s Medicine program represents the beginning of a career that could take them from the lecture theatre to Australia’s regional, rural, and remote communities and beyond.

Every year, more than 4,500 applicants from across Australia and New Zealand apply for a place in JCU’s Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Around 750 of those applicants progress to the interview stage, with approximately 200 accepting offers for a position in the course.

Every interview relies on a panel of volunteers who play an important role in helping JCU select its medicine students. Each panel brings together three perspectives: a healthcare professional, a JCU staff member or adjunct, and a member of the community.

Together, they look beyond academic achievement to consider the qualities that matter in studying medicine at James Cook University.

For long-time volunteer Dr Harry, those qualities can be just as important as academic success.

“Academic brilliance is not always the best predictor of success as a doctor. Qualities such as character, communication, determination and motivation are more relevant to surviving a six-year course and entering a profession where lifelong study is expected, where care for others and devotion to duty are required, and where immediate rewards may be delayed,” he says.

A former GP, who worked in the Mackay region for more than three decades, Harry has seen first-hand the importance of building a strong medical workforce outside Australia’s major cities. He has been involved in JCU Medicine selection interviews since the mid-2000s and is an adjunct appointment as Associate Professor at JCU, having supervised many JCU students and GP registrars across his time in medicine.

“It is no secret that the medical workforce is depleted and especially in GP and rural medicine. Regional and rural Queensland is desperately short of clinicians doing primary care. The population in regional and rural Queensland would benefit from continuity of workforce rather than rotating locums, however locums are also needed to provide leave for study and holidays. JCU College of Medicine has a nation-wide reputation for addressing these shortages and being part of the student selection process allows for the most suitable students to enter the course,” he says.

More than an interview

The selection process is about identifying candidates who have the potential to become medicine students, and doctors who understand and respond to the needs of the communities they serve.

Rick sits on the Indigenous selection panel. A mental health social worker and trauma therapist who has volunteered in the selection process since 2020, his professional experience has opened his eyes to the importance of the right personal qualities in patient care.

Working across Townsville and the Burdekin, Rick also brings an understanding of the realities of healthcare outside metropolitan centres.

“Regional and rural work is very different to working in a major city, and students need to be able to adapt to that, It also sometimes takes a different approach to connect with rural people - especially men. I am a big fan of community voices that influence the professions to not simply recruit in their own image,” he says.

That diversity of perspectives is central to the way JCU approaches selection.

For JCU Senior Research Officer Lisa, volunteering for the third year, being part of the process is an opportunity to contribute directly to the future health workforce.

“Having a background in health, research and working with communities including young people, I felt I could contribute to the selection process as a panel member,” Lisa says.

“My experience of postgraduate study, exams and working in academia has helped me understand some of the pressures applicants may face, as well as the enablers and barriers that can influence access, persistence and success throughout the selection and study pathway.”

Lisa believes that regional and rural community members bring insights that may not otherwise be captured during an interview.

“You might regularly see your GP at the supermarket, sporting events or other community settings, having regional and rural-based doctors and community members involved strengthens the selection process because they bring lived experience of what it means to work and live in the same community.

“In panel discussions, this perspective helps assess how applicants understand rural practice, community expectations, professional boundaries and the real-life contexts of regional and remote health care.”

Helping applicants feel heard

While the interview process is important for JCU medicine selections, volunteers recognise that it is a significant moment in the lives of the applicants sitting on the other side of the screen.

Kate, a JCU Medicine academic, has been involved in the selection process for four years.

“Being involved in the selection process gives me the opportunity to play a small role at the very start of that journey. It has been incredibly rewarding to see students I have interviewed enter the program, develop their skills and confidence, and really thrive throughout their studies,” she says.

Kate says the experience reinforces the importance of creating a fair and supportive environment for applicants.

“The process is well organised, the training and support are excellent, and your contribution genuinely matters,” she says. “You don't need previous interviewing experience to contribute.

“Most importantly, it is incredibly rewarding. Knowing that you have played a part in selecting students who will go on to care for communities across our regions makes the experience worthwhile.”

Lisa agrees that the experience of the interviewees matters.

“Attending interviews for a competitive program can feel daunting, and the experience is made easier when applicants are warmly received and feel that their responses are heard and documented through an equitable process,” she says.

A voice for community, a voice for Indigenous applicants

JCU also offers an Indigenous Selection Pathway to Medicine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. These interviews are conducted by panels made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, ensuring Indigenous perspectives, experiences and voices are valued throughout the selection process.

For Rick, Indigenous representation is essential.

“It’s really good to have an understanding of the cultural issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and how those can shape their journey,” he says.

“Having our voice around the table is critical for that.”

He also believes First Nations clinicians and community members have an important role to play in the broader selection process.

“I think it’s important for First Nations clinicians and community to have a voice in selecting mainstream students too, given the importance of having good doctors for mob.”

Shaping the future medical workforce

Medical Selection volunteers relish the opportunity to play a part in each medical journey

“I would encourage anyone who is considering volunteering to give it a go. For health professionals, it is a chance to help shape the future of your profession. For community members, it is an opportunity to ensure that the patient and community perspective remains central to the selection process,” Kate says.

Rick describes it simply as “a relatively simple way to give back some time to influencing the future of the health system”.

And for Harry, the opportunity is about having a say in who enters a profession that carries enormous responsibility.

“This is your opportunity to have your say in the quality of the young students entering the course,” he says.

Every applicant represents a potential future doctor. Every panel member brings a different perspective, and every volunteer has an opportunity to help identify the people who may one day provide care to a patient in a regional hospital, a rural town, a remote community or somewhere else where a doctor is needed.

Applications are now open for volunteers to join JCU Medicine selection interview panels for the 2027 intake. Interviews will be conducted online across morning and afternoon sessions on 24 November to 1 December 2026 and 6 to 7 January 2027.

Volunteers receive online training through self-paced modules and a live online session, with training to be completed by 23 October. Indigenous Selection Pathway interviews will be held on 26 November and 2-3 December, with panels comprising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members.

Find out more about becoming a JCU Medicine selection panel volunteer.