The RCD’s research activity is primarily conducted through an active collaboration with the University of Southern Queensland. The jointly badged research facility – the Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health – provides the focus for research in the areas of:

• Inter Professional Education
• Recruitment and Retention of the Rural Health Care Workforce
• Resilience of Rural Communities

Future directions will target means of further engaging rural communities and building local capacity. There are plans to establish a rural health research network building on nascent relation with local health care providers – Health Service Districts, Divisions of General Practice, Mercy Health and Aged Care Group – and the Central Queensland University.