Farah Christina Noya’s Mission to Improve Rural Healthcare in Indonesia

When Farah Christina Noya received her Australia Awards Scholarship in 2010, she was working as a government-appointed doctor in the remote Aru Islands, Although her plan was to study Health Service Management at the University of Western Australia (UWA) she was offered a position in the newly established Faculty of Medicine at Universitas Pattimura (Unpatti), which lacked qualified faculty in medical education and shifted her academic focus to Medical Education.

Building a Foundation: Master's Studies and Research

Farah enrolled in a flexible master's program at UWA. Her thesis was a systematic review of global practices in communication skills training in medical education.

On returning to Indonesia, Farah became aware of a broader issue: the persistent shortage of doctors willing to work in remote areas. She noticed that despite the expansion of medical schools in eastern Indonesia, the number of graduates choosing to work in remote regions remained low.

"It became clear to me that curriculum design needed to do more than teach skills. It had to foster internal motivation for students to serve in underserved communities," she said.

This growing concern became the foundation for her decision to pursue a PhD at UWA in 2018.

Researching Rural Commitment: A PhD in Social Accountability

Farah's doctoral research explored social accountability in medical education. She reviewed strategies used globally to attract and retain rural doctors, followed by a study focused on Maluku. Her data came from Unpatti graduates and doctors serving in Maluku. With financial support from both Australia Awards and her academic division, she conducted in-person and online fieldwork.

Farah's PhD journey was also shaped by her family life. She pursued her studies while raising two young children and gave birth to her third child during her PhD program in Australia.

"Balancing research deadlines and family demands was extremely challenging. The educational environment in Australia, accessible support systems and child-friendly services, helped me manage."

Farah’s struggle paid off. Her study resulted in seven international, Scopus Q1 journal publications.

Driving Change Beyond Campus

Farah faced setbacks in applying her research beyond the local level. She hoped to embed her findings in the national medical education curriculum however this proved challenging.

"I applied to join the national curriculum review team, but wasn’t selected," she said. "Faculties have autonomy in designing curriculum. This can foster innovation but it also makes coordination difficult. Australia’s approach showed me how policy, curriculum, and service delivery can work in tandem."

Undeterred, Farah continues to push for social accountability to be formally embedded into national standards drawing on her research findings and her international experience to advocate for change.

Global Collaboration: Building a Rural Doctor Network

In 2022, Farah presented her PhD research at an international health equity conference in Vancouver. There, she met Dr Richard Colbran, CEO of the Rural Doctors Network (RDN). Their shared interest in addressing rural healthcare disparities grew into continued collaboration. Soon after, Farah was invited to speak at RDN’s Rural Health Pro Seminar and was introduced to Dr Robyn Ramsden.

These conversations laid the groundwork for a formal partnership between Universitas Pattimura (Unpatti) and RDN, solidified through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties.

“The MoU reflects a mutual commitment to improving rural healthcare, not just through research, but by building systems and human resources that can make a long-term impact,” Farah said.

In 2024, they launched their first joint initiative in Buru Regency, focusing on strengthening local health systems and developing a referral model tailored for rural doctors. Dr Ramsden joined the fieldwork team in Maluku, working closely with Farah and her colleagues on the ground.

The partnership continues to grow. RDN is scheduled to take part in Unpatti’s international conference in May 2025, where Dr Colbran will deliver a keynote address. Farah and her collaborators are working to establish a Rural Doctor Network Indonesia in Maluku, inspired by the RDN model. The initiative is driven by consistent feedback from doctors in remote areas where many of whom report feeling isolated, under-supported, and overwhelmed by infrastructure gaps.