16/04/2026
// ๐๐๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ: ๐๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ
We are absolutely thrilled to see Dr Peter Freeman named the recipient of the Peter Snow Memorial Award. Presented to him at the recent at the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference New Zealand held in Wellington, his nomination recognises his founding leadership of the RESCyou โ Rural Emergency Skills Course, and his quiet dedication behind the scenes to craft a bespoke training environment tailored specifically for rural clinicians.
The RESCyou โ Rural Emergency Skills Course is an innovative programme that brings high-level emergency training directly to rural doorsteps, offering a hands-on course that empower local clinicians. Peter has invested countless hours into the development and refinement of this programme, ensuring it remains world-class and deeply impactful to all who participate.
For more than a decade, with the rest of the RESCyou team, Peter has delivered 12 courses in 10 rural towns, trained 162 rural clinicians (and counting) and providing 1,296 provider-hours of education โ a remarkable contribution given the voluntary nature of their involvement. With an average score of 9.7/10, the feedback is as genuine as it is consistent: 100% of participants report that they now feel ready and capable of performing life-saving emergency skills in high-pressure situations.
But the numbers only tell half the story. The true value lies in the profound sense of empowerment the clinicians carry back to their communities. For a clinician working in a remote area, that shift from uncertainty to confidence is everything. The programme doesnโt just provide data; itโs a leading training ground ensuring rural clinicians no longer just 'cope' with emergencies but lead through them with the skill and confidence their communities deserve.
โPeter is one of those rare clinicians whose technical excellence is matched only by his humility...โ
โHis passion for improving care in rural areas is not theoretical; it is lived. He brings a clinicianโs insight, an educatorโs skill, and a rural advocateโs determination to every course. The impact is clear: RESCYou consistently strengthens clinical capability, builds con๏ฌdence, and improves outcomes for our rural whฤnau and communities. Many clinicians across Aotearoa attribute their preparedness in emergencies directly to the skills gained through Peterโs teaching.โ โ ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐
โThanks must go to Mark Eager from Mobile Heath for his vision and support of the Rural skills course. The team have travelled the length of the country from Gore to Kaitaia and soon Great Barrier.โ
โCritical to the delivery of customised skills training for rural GPs and nurses has been the generous donation of time and equipment from the emergency medicine facultyโฆโ
โIt has been an absolute pleasure to have brought this course to the rural teams and very rewarding to hear such positive feedback. Thank you for this recognition - it means a lot.โ โ ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐
๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง
Please join us in celebrating Peter for this remarkable achievement โ a truly fitting tribute to his continued dedication and his unwavering advocacy for our rural heartland.
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐
The Peter Snow Memorial Award was set up to honour the life and work of Dr Peter Snow who passed away in March 2006. Dr Snow was a rural general practitioner based in Tapanui. The Peter Snow Memorial Award celebrates Peter Snowโs contribution to rural communities as well as recognising an individual for their outstanding contribution to rural health in either service, health research or innovation.
Australasian College for Emergency Medicine World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA@RUTHLARGE
