Flinders University welcomes largest ever cohort of 42 medical students to the Northern Territory

Flinders University celebrates a milestone as 42 medical students begin their studies in the Northern Territory, including the first international cohort.

Northern Territory Medical Program. Picture: Flinder's University Page / Sourced.

Flinders University’s Northern Territory Medical Program has reached a new milestone, welcoming its largest-ever intake of medical students.

A total of 42 students – 38 local and 4 international – are embarking on their four-year journey to becoming doctors, with the program set to boost the Territory’s health workforce.

Professor Robyn Aitken, Dean of Rural and Remote Health at Flinders University. Picture: Flinder's University Page / Sourced.

Professor Robyn Aitken, Dean of Rural and Remote Health at Flinders University, said the program, which has more than 130 students currently enrolled, played a vital role in addressing local medical workforce shortages.

For Ashley Hughes, a long-time Territorian and one of the new medical students, the decision to study medicine close to home was an easy one.

Ashley Hughes - Flinders University - Doctor of Medicine student Year 1 2025. Picture: Flinder's University / Supplied.

“I’m super excited to start studying medicine in Darwin, as staying close to my family was a big factor,” said Ms Hughes.

“I also have a lot of friends and work colleagues currently completing their medicine degree, who really helped me make the informed decision to choose Flinders University in Darwin.”

Northern Territory Medical Program. Picture: Flinder's University Page / Sourced.

The 42 students will gain valuable experience through clinical placements in hospitals and primary care clinics across Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek, and Nhulunbuy.

As part of their training, they will be immersed in the unique medical challenges of the region, focusing on both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.