Metadata
Title
Riitta Partanen
Category
general
UUID
dddd7ad192fa48a8bf6c77d8f1a4f5fc
Source URL
https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1491
Parent URL
https://about.uq.edu.au/faculties-institutes/hmbs/about/leaders
Crawl Time
2026-03-23T11:58:36+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown 
# Riitta Partanen

**Source**: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1491
**Parent**: https://about.uq.edu.au/faculties-institutes/hmbs/about/leaders

Professor

# Riitta Partanen

Email:
:   [r.partanen@uq.edu.au](mailto:r.partanen@uq.edu.au)

Phone:
:   [+61 7 419 44807](tel:+61 7 419 44807)

## Positions

Interim Dean, Medical School
:   Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences

### Background

Professor Riitta Partanen is the Interim Dean of the Medical School, commencing in this role in January 2026.

For the preceding five years Prof Partanen was the Director of the Rural Clinical School based at the Hervey Bay Regional Clinical Unit. The Rural Clinical School (RCS) includes four Regional Clinical Units based in Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Rockhampton and Toowoomba and the Rural and Remote Medicine Clinical Unit which includes over 50 communities across the southern half of Queensland. Additionally, the RCS has three Regional Training Hubs (RTH). They are the Central Queensland, Wide Bay and Southern Queensland RTHs. Prof Partanen contributed significantly to the establishment of the Central Queensland - Wide Bay Regional Medical Pathway and the Darling Downs - South West Medical Pathway enabling students to study medicine in its entirity in regional and rural Queensland.

Prof Partanen is a specialist GP and continues to be clinically active having already served the community of Maryborough, Qld since 1994.

As the inaugural Head of the Hervey Bay Regional Clinical Unit (HBRCU), she has been involved with UQ Rural Clinical School since 2005. Since then, her roles have also included: the Co-Director of Learning for the RCS, GP Academic Lead for HBRCU, Acting Head of the UQRCS, and the Academic Lead for Phase 2 (Years 3 &4) of the UQ Medical Program. She handed over the reins of the Head of the HBRCU in 2020 after 15 years, when she commenced as the Director, RCS.

Previously Prof Partanen has served as Board member and Chair of the Wide Bay Division of General Practice, member of RACGP Rural Medical Education Committee and is currently member of the RACGP Doctors for Women in Rural Medicine Committee and the Rural Doctor's Australia Association's Female Doctors Group. Prof Partanen is the Chair of the national FRAME (Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators) Policy Group. Previously she was the FRAME co-delegate for the National Rural Health Alliance. She interested in contributing to policy development and innovations in medical education and training pathways so that rural communities have equitable access to health care, close to home at the time they need it.

Her research interests include rural medical workforce, rural medical education, rural training pathways and General Practice issues such as depression and liver disease. She is currently a PhD candidate exploring geographical narcissism during medical education and training and its impact on rural medical practice decisions.

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### Availability

Professor Riitta Partanen is:
:   Available for supervision

### Qualifications

- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Postgraduate Diploma, Institution to be confirmed

### Research interests

- #### Growing the rural medical workforce and factors that influence workplace location choices

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- #### Rural medical education

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- #### Rural end-to-end medical education and training pathways

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- #### Supporting safe cessation of long-term antidepressants when there is no clinical indication for continued use and social prescribing in the management of depression

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- #### To improve early HCC diagnosis by increasing cirrhosis detection and HCC surveillance rates using a readily implementable and cost-effective risk-stratification pathway in primary care

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### Research impacts

Prof Partanen is passionate about improving the health outcomes of rural people through the provision of high-quality medical education and training based in rural and regional communities. Her research is contributing to the growing body of evidence in the area of rural medical workforce, the factors that impact of choosing to become a rural doctor.

Her research into medical student teaching in the General Practice setting provides evidence that patients, GPs and students are very satisfied with the teaching consultation.

Her research into depression and long-term anti-depressant usage has identified the challenges GPs have in deprescribing and the importance of social prescribing in the management of depression.

Her doctoral research has found that the phenomonen of geographical narcissism does occur throughout the continuum of medical education and for some learners influences their workplace location decisions.

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[Search Professor Riitta Partanen’s works on UQ eSpace](http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/list/author_id/3329)

[All
(39)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/1491/all)
[Journal Article
(14)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/1491/4748)
[Other Outputs
(1)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/1491/4749)
[Conference Publication
(24)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/1491/4751)

2025

Journal Article

##### The IC3 trial: protocol for a multicentre individually randomised controlled trial to compare a cirrhosis detection and hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance pathway vs usual care in Australian general practice for 45–75 years old with risk factors for chronic liver disease

Adams, Leon A., de Guingand, Deborah, Jeffrey, Gary P., Thompson, Alexander J., Strasser, Simone I., Crawford, Darrell, Collins, Louisa, Reid, Christopher, Wallace, Michael, Chondros, Patty, Allard, Nicole, Kirke, Andrew, Rutherford, Claudia, Hespe, Charlotte, Partanen, Riitta, Frear, Sophie, Napreet, Holly, Piakis, Katerina, Maas, Cailin, White, Olivia J., Laughlin, Adrian, Clinton-McHarg, Tara, Clymer, Caitlin, Boyd, Lucy and Emery, Jon (2025). The IC3 trial: protocol for a multicentre individually randomised controlled trial to compare a cirrhosis detection and hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance pathway vs usual care in Australian general practice for 45–75 years old with risk factors for chronic liver disease. Trials, 26 (1) 350, 1. doi: 10.1186/s13063-025-09037-9

[The IC3 trial: protocol for a multicentre individually randomised controlled trial to compare a cirrhosis detection and hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance pathway vs usual care in Australian general practice for 45–75 years old with risk factors for chronic liver disease](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:6aea50f)

2025

Journal Article

##### Strengthening integration of pathways into general practice in Australia: a virtual workshop study with stakeholders

Yong, Faith, Martin, Priya, Kirubakaran, Sneha, Wallis, Katharine Ann, Partanen, Riitta, Fox, Jordan, Kondalsamy Chennakesavan, Srinivas and McGrail, Matthew (2025). Strengthening integration of pathways into general practice in Australia: a virtual workshop study with stakeholders. BJGP Open, BJGPO.2025.0074. doi: 10.3399/bjgpo.2025.0074

[Strengthening integration of pathways into general practice in Australia: a virtual workshop study with stakeholders](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2e0e755)

2025

Journal Article

##### General practice specialty decision-making: a system-level Australian qualitative study

Yong, Faith R., Martin, Priya, Wallis, Katharine A., Fox, Jordan, Kirubakaran, Sneha, Partanen, Riitta L., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas and McGrail, Matthew R. (2025). General practice specialty decision-making: a system-level Australian qualitative study. BJGP Open, 9 (3) bjgpo.2024.0218, 1-15. doi: 10.3399/bjgpo.2024.0218

[General practice specialty decision-making: a system-level Australian qualitative study](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:d8f471e)

2025

Journal Article

##### Practical tips to fostering positive perceptions of and interest in general practice across medical training phases

Yong, Faith, Fox, Jordan, Martin, Priya, Partanen, Riitta, Wallis, Katharine and McGrail, Matthew (2025). Practical tips to fostering positive perceptions of and interest in general practice across medical training phases. MedEdPublish, 15 42, 1-8. doi: 10.12688/mep.20921.1

[Practical tips to fostering positive perceptions of and interest in general practice across medical training phases](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:dbb81ed)

2025

Journal Article

##### Identifying the experience of geographical narcissism during medical education and training

Partanen, Riitta, Eley, Diann, Ostini, Remo and McGrail, Matthew (2025). Identifying the experience of geographical narcissism during medical education and training. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 1-19. doi: 10.1007/s10459-025-10440-9

[Identifying the experience of geographical narcissism during medical education and training](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:e2094af)

2025

Journal Article

##### I'm not ‘fake rural’: rural student negotiation of identity and place in medical school

Shepherd, Nicole, Wilson Gray, Romy, Hu, Wendy, Hyde, Sarah, Partanen, Riitta, Pena, Alexia, Walters, Lucie and Olson, Rebecca (2025). I'm not ‘fake rural’: rural student negotiation of identity and place in medical school. Sociologia Ruralis, 65 (1) e12473. doi: 10.1111/soru.12473

[I'm not ‘fake rural’: rural student negotiation of identity and place in medical school](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:9261b7b)

2025

Conference Publication

##### Practical tips to foster interest in general practice across medical training phases

McGrail, Matthew, Yong, Faith, Martin, Priya, Fox, Jordan, Partanen, Riitta and Wallis, Katharine (2025). Practical tips to foster interest in general practice across medical training phases. Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium, Alice Springs, NT, Australia, 8-9 October 2025.

[Practical tips to foster interest in general practice across medical training phases](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:5fcaab3)

2024

Conference Publication

##### 3. WHO Rural Workforce Guidelines into Action – Triumphs and Travails: The Medical Pathways

Partanen, Riitta (2024). 3. WHO Rural Workforce Guidelines into Action – Triumphs and Travails: The Medical Pathways. Ubuntu 2024, Cape Town, South Africa, 10-13 September 2024.

[3. WHO Rural Workforce Guidelines into Action – Triumphs and Travails: The Medical Pathways](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:aca77cf)

2024

Conference Publication

##### 1. Minimising geographical narcissism with a solutions’ focused framework

Partanen, Riitta (2024). 1. Minimising geographical narcissism with a solutions’ focused framework. RMA24, Darwin, NT, Australia, 23 - 26 October 2024.

[1. Minimising geographical narcissism with a solutions’ focused framework](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:ca4a88e)

2024

Conference Publication

##### 2. Addressing the phenomenon of Geographical Narcissism during medical education and training,

Partanen, Riitta (2024). 2. Addressing the phenomenon of Geographical Narcissism during medical education and training,. The Network: Towards Unity For Health & Rural WONCA: Ubuntu 2024, Cape Town, South Africa, 10 - 13 September 2024.

[2. Addressing the phenomenon of Geographical Narcissism during medical education and training,](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:06b3be0)

2024

Conference Publication

##### Workshop 15: Countering the impact of Geographical Narcissism on the rural health workforce and rural health services: leveraging rural voice, innovations, people, and power

Fors, Malin, Partanen, Riitta, Chater, Bruce, Manjala, Mercy, Koller, Theadora Swift and Probst, Janice (2024). Workshop 15: Countering the impact of Geographical Narcissism on the rural health workforce and rural health services: leveraging rural voice, innovations, people, and power. Ubuntu 2024, Cape Town, South Africa, 10 - 13 September 2024.

[Workshop 15: Countering the impact of Geographical Narcissism on the rural health workforce and rural health services: leveraging rural voice, innovations, people, and power](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:fec5b6e)

2024

Conference Publication

##### Insights from recent GP fellows of their career-choice paths using semi-structured interviews

McGrail, Matthew, Yong, Faith, Martin, Priya, Fox, Jordan, Kirubakaran, Sneha, Partanen, Riitta, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Sri and Wallis, Katharine (2024). Insights from recent GP fellows of their career-choice paths using semi-structured interviews. GP24, Perth, WA, Australia, 21-23 November 2024.

[Insights from recent GP fellows of their career-choice paths using semi-structured interviews](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:bf47708)

2023

Conference Publication

##### The quest to revive and restore the female rural medical workforce

Rodda, Christie, Girgenti, Kaylene, O'Sullivan, Belinda and Partanen, Riitta (2023). The quest to revive and restore the female rural medical workforce. WONCA 2023, Sydney, NSW Australia, 26-29 October 2023.

[The quest to revive and restore the female rural medical workforce](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:ff31839)

2023

Conference Publication

##### GP first choice for medical graduates: innovative medical education

Partanen, Riitta (2023). GP first choice for medical graduates: innovative medical education. WONCA 23, Sydney, NSW Australia, 26-29 October 2023.

[GP first choice for medical graduates: innovative medical education](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:f894965)

2023

Conference Publication

##### Geographical narcissism during medical education and training

Partanen, Riitta (2023). Geographical narcissism during medical education and training. WONCA 2023, Sydney, NSW Australia, 26-29 October 2023.

[Geographical narcissism during medical education and training](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:763dd55)

2023

Conference Publication

##### Addressing a rural nemesis: geographical narcissism

Partanen, Riitta (2023). Addressing a rural nemesis: geographical narcissism. RMA 23, Hobart, TAS Australia, 18-21 October 2023.

[Addressing a rural nemesis: geographical narcissism](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:f16957c)

2023

Conference Publication

##### Geographical narcissism - a rural nemesis

Partanen, Riitta (2023). Geographical narcissism - a rural nemesis. FRAME (Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators) May Meeting, Hervey Bay, QLD Australia, 2-4 May 2023.

[Geographical narcissism - a rural nemesis](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:47581b3)

2023

Conference Publication

##### Geographical narcissism during medical education and training

Partanen, Riitta (2023). Geographical narcissism during medical education and training. Fraser Coast Health Conference, Hervey Bay, QLD Australia, 25-26 February 2023.

[Geographical narcissism during medical education and training](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:46422ce)

2022

Conference Publication

##### Geographical narcissism during medical education and training

Partanen, Riitta (2022). Geographical narcissism during medical education and training. RMA 2022, Canberra, ACT, Australia, 12-15 October 2022.

[Geographical narcissism during medical education and training](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:ce1fa8c)

2022

Journal Article

##### Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on medical student placements in rural Queensland: A survey study

Martin, Priya, McGrail, Matthew, Fox, Jordan, Partanen, Riitta and Kondalsamy‐Chennakesavan, Srinivas (2022). Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on medical student placements in rural Queensland: A survey study. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 30 (4), 478-487. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12862

[Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on medical student placements in rural Queensland: A survey study](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2f2120d)

### Current funding

- 2026 - 2027

  Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients' Perspectives on GP-Led Lifestyle Advice in Type 2 Diabetes Management in a regional setting

  Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/71240)
- 2026

  Crafting GP careers: A choose-your-own-adventure career typology for the next generation of GPs working in rural and metropolitan areas

  RACGP Education Research Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/71227)

### Past funding

- 2023 - 2024

  Differences in UCAT ANZ performance between rural and metropolitan medical school applicants: A national investigation

  Monash University

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/62008)
- 2023 - 2024

  Informing stronger integration across all sectors of the GP education and training pipeline

  RACGP Education Research Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/59106)

### Availability

Professor Riitta Partanen is:
:   Available for supervision

Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on [how to choose a supervisor](https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/how-to-choose-a-supervisor).

### Enquiries

For media enquiries about Professor Riitta Partanen's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

[communications@uq.edu.au](mailto:communications@uq.edu.au)

## External profiles

- [ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6768-3382)
- [ResearcherID](https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/F-4954-2010)
- [Scopus](https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=54882733800)

## Personal links

- [Personal profile](https://rcs.medicine.uq.edu.au/)

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