2025 La Trobe Rural Health School Conference: Innovating for Equity: Bridging Gaps in Rural Health Care.

This year’s theme, Innovating for Equity: Bridging Gaps in Rural Health Care explores solutions to bridge disparities and improve access, quality and outcomes for rural and regional communities.

Be part of cutting-edge discussions and inspiring presentations that highlight innovations across multiple research areas including Neuroscience & Molecular Studies, Rural Health & Ageing, Oral Health, Rural Healthcare Delivery & Innovation, Mental Health & Community Wellbeing, Sports & Physical Health in Rural Areas, and Workforce & Community Development.

This year we bring together a wide-ranging and diverse group of research projects in the areas of Allied Health, Nursing & Midwifery, Biomedicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry and Oral Health.

We are thrilled to welcome Trent Dean, CEO of Gateway Health in Albury-Wodonga, as our keynote speaker, who will share valuable insights on leadership and innovation in rural health.

Trent’s expertise encompasses health and ageing, community and disability services, public housing, child safety, corporate governance, risk management, and quality improvement. Trent’s current focus is on strengthening connections between healthcare services and the communities they serve, fostering collaborative approaches to enhance access and equity.

Throughout his career, Trent has fostered innovation and led initiatives that have earned recognition, such as Mercy Connect being awarded in the ‘Championing Health’ category at the 2024 Telstra Best of Business Awards.

Trent is presently pursuing a PhD at La Trobe University. His research, grounded in critical realism and using grounded theory methodology, investigates the process of identifying mental health conditions in people with intellectual disabilities living in regional Australia. He believes in the transformative power of collaboration and lifelong learning to effect meaningful, lasting change in the health and community services sector.