Charles Darwin University offers a medical training program.

The federal government has allocated $24.5 million to support CDU's medical program. Charles Darwin University's (CDU) goal of training local doctors has now become a reality. The federal government has granted $24.5 million to establish the CDU Menzies Medical Program.

Starting from 2026, CDU will begin operating a medical school, offering 40 federally supported medical places.The federal government will provide funding support for capital construction, project initiation, and daily operational expenses.Under the accreditation of the Australian Medical Council, CDU Medical School has rapidly completed the development of medical courses and necessary exploratory work.

CDU has long advocated for the establishment of a medical school and medical programs to meet the demand for doctors in the Northern Territory. Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Reuben Bolt stated that providing world-class medical training to locals has immense benefits for the community.

We are grateful to the federal government for recognizing and affirming Charles Darwin University and the Menzies School of Health Research's commitment to improving the health and lives of Northern Territory residents.The Northern Territory community has always been at the heart of our development of this project. For CDU, it is an honor to educate and train local doctors, providing invaluable services to the communities we know.

Professor Dianne Stephens, the founding Dean of CDU Medical School, stated that this announcement recognizes the importance of CDU's medical program in ensuring the sustainability of the Northern Territory's medical workforce.

Professor Dianne Stephens

"I am thrilled by this news, which validates all the efforts the team has made over the past two and a half years to establish this project for the Northern Territory community. This will be a turning point for the Northern Territory's medical workforce, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure this project perfectly meets the needs of the Northern Territory," said Professor Stephens.

Professor Alan Cass, Dean of the Menzies School of Health Research, emphasized that with 40 years of history in conducting research in collaboration with communities in the Northern Territory and globally, the Menzies School of Health Research will provide students of CDU Menzies Medical School with world-class research opportunities. Local, place-based partnerships, as exemplified by the new medical school, offer sustainable solutions to workforce shortages and train doctors who deeply understand the unique health challenges faced by Indigenous people living in remote areas of the Northern Territory," said Professor Cass.

Federal MP Luke Gosling stated that this funding provides a critical opportunity to train and retain a local medical workforce. The national demand for doctors is high, and this historic announcement fulfills the long-standing commitment of Malarndirri, Marion, and myself to increase the local medical workforce. Training our own doctors means they will have a more nuanced understanding of local challenges and environments. Providing culturally and clinically relevant care will support our ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes for Indigenous people and all Northern Territory residents. We have talent here—this investment aims to ensure they have the best resources and training to qualify and serve the local community," said MP Gosling.