Maddie Higgins

Maddie Higgins is a full-time lecturer in research at the University of Queensland's Rural Clinical School. She joined the University of Queensland in January 2025 and is based at the Bundaberg clinical unit.

Maddie was born and raised in regional Queensland and holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science from the University of the Sunshine Coast, a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science, and a Master of Science by Research in Clinical and Molecular Microbiology from Griffith University.

Upon completing her master’s research, Maddie returned to her hometown, where she worked in the health sector before commencing her PhD at the University of Queensland’s Rural Clinical School through a Research Training Program scholarship. Maddie’s PhD research focuses on improving access to health care in regional, rural and remote Australian communities.

Maddie is also a strong advocate for quality health care. She is chair of the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS) Research Consumer Advisory Group and is a consumer representative on the WBHHS Research Council. She works to enable consumers to have a voice in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health policy, programs, and services to achieve better health outcomes.