The presidency of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland will stay in North Queensland, with the membership confirming Bowen doctor Mick Reinke to lead the organisation for the next 12 months.
Dr Reinke was officially installed as president at the organisation's AGM and annual conference on the Gold Coast at the weekend.
Dr Reinke replaces Innisfail doctor Raymond (RT) Lewandowski, who now moves to the immediate past president role.
Dr Matt Masel, from Goondiwindi, was elected to the president-elect role, which means he will take the reins of RDAQ in 2022-23.
A former engineer in the Royal Australian Air Force for 27 years, Dr Reinke left his defence role to study medicine, graduating in 2009.
He spent his early medical career at Ipswich and Hervey Bay before moving to Bowen, where he is a senior medical officer at the local hospital with advanced skills in obstetrics and performing complex acute care in the emergency department.
Dr Reinke said that as an obstetrics trained rural doctor, he was acutely aware of the challenges faced by rural families.
"Particularly when they are forced to deliver outside their community when local birthing options are not available," he said.
"This is why I am passionate about equity in rural and remote health and providing the right services in the right place at the right time."
Dr Lewandowski described his successor as "the real deal".
"He is a doctor who cares deeply about his patients and his community, and he'll now extend that level of care and empathy to more Queensland communities in this critically important statewide role," he said.
"Mick is also a strong leader and well respected, offering carefully considered comments and intelligent advice.
"RDAQ will continue to be an outstanding organisation with Mick at the helm."
Dr Reinke paid tribute to Dr Lewandowski and his tenure during the past 12 months.
"He has been able to facilitate the elevation of concerns of rural doctors admirably, reflected in the introduction of new electronic medical record systems and providing a clear voice for the rural community of Chinchilla with the challenges they are facing due to downgraded rural maternity services," he said.
"Solutions to many of our issues are not delivered overnight. I intend to keep the momentum going forward in helping to address the health challenges we confront in rural Queensland."
