A public health and population health focus is one of the core objectives and underlying philosophies of MICRRH.

This is achieved by integrating population health into all the rural and remote health training courses provided through the centre for Indigenous health workers, nurses, pharmacy, medical and other allied health providers.

The ultimate goal is to develop health professionals with a population health approach and the practical skills necessary to identify the needs of their community and profile their practice to provide the best quality health care especially in rural and remote areas where the challenge is greater.

MICRRH is the lead organisation in developing the Population Health Education for Clinicians (PHEC) project, a national curriculum involving 8 major Universities. The curriculum is designed to be completed in isolation or as part of Masters Programs in Public Health or Remote Medicine.

This curriculum is currently being delivered within Flinders University. MICRRH in collaboration with James Cook University's School of Medicine and School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine have included PHEC subjects to form part of JCU Masters of Remote Medicine, Masters in Public Health and Tropical Medicine and the post graduate diploma of rural and remote medicine.

This certificate is currently being updated and will become a compulsory course for all rural doctors attaining the FACRRM through the Australasian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

Out of the PHEC curriculum, a range of tools were identified by ACRRM that enable rural medical practitioners to identify the health needs of their communities and profile their practice. Through a series of audits this project leads to practice enhancement in order to address the community's health needs and attain best quality practice in rural and remote health. This program has become integrated into the Vocational Training and Professional Development Programs of ACRRM. It will also be used for the Graduate Certificate in Rural and Remote Paramedic Primary Health Care.

MICRRH is working with the JCU School of Medicine and ACRRM to trial this kit in rural practices and evaluation of the project is now in progress.